XMen 4
by srg118
Summary: This takes place after the events of XMen: The Last Stand. The XMen must deal with the return of old friends as they face a new team of evil mutants that plan for mutants to dominate the planet.
1. Chapter 1 Fifteen years ago

15 years ago - Nebraska - Day

An old orphanage stands in the middle of an old field, with a lone dirt road leading up to and from the small building. Three cars are parked in the parking lot. A car drives down the street past the exit road to the orphanage.

**MR. SMITH**: "You have a nice place here. Do you have the papers ready to sign?"

**ESSEX**: "Oh, yes. Right this way."

* * *

Within the orphanage, DR. NATHANIEL ESSEX - 35 years old with black hair and a goatee - walks down the hall, wearing a coat over his clothes. Walking beside him is a couple in their mid-30s, MR. AND MRS. SMITH. 

**ESSEX**: "I think you'll be good parents to little Jeremy. He's fortunate to find a home with a nice couple like you."

**MR. SMITH**: "We've always wanted to be parents, Dr. Essex. Ever since Mary here found out she couldn't have kids...well, this orphanage seemed like the best place to come to fix that problem."

**ESSEX**: "We have a lot of good kids here, Mr. Smith. They should be so lucky to find good folks like you."

Essex opens the door and walks to his office, with the Smiths following him into the room.

* * *

In his room, YOUNG SCOTT SUMMERS - 15 years old with brown hair - is thrown against a wall, his eyes already shut tight. Scott hits the wall and hits the floor, flinching. GREG - 15 years old with blond hair - stands before Scott and sneers. 

**YOUNG SCOTT**: (moans) "Stop it, Greg! I don't want to fight you!"

**GREG**: "And I said I don't care, butt-head! I don't get why Essex spoils you so much! He's always pampering you, taking care of you and doting over you! You think you're so superior than me, you can't even look me in the eye!"

Young Scott stands up and leans back against the wall, feeling around blindly.

**YOUNG SCOTT:** "Trust me...You don't want me to do that."

Young Scott flinches and holds his head in pain.

**GREG**: "What? Another headache, Summers? I don't even think you have them! I just think it's an excuse to get Essex to spoil you again!"

Young Scott tries to move, but Greg grabs Scott by the collar and pulls him forward.

**GREG**: (snaps) "Look at me when I'm talking to you, freak!!"

Greg grabs young Scott's shut eyelids with two fingers and proceeds to lift them up.

**YOUNG SCOTT**: (yells) "NO! GREG, DON'T DO IT! LET GO OF ME!"

Greg pulls open Scott's eyes with his fingers and reveals white-hot pupils. The second Scott's eyes fly wide open, everything goes RED and --

* * *

Back in the hall, Dr. Essex hands Mr. Smith some papers, when the SOUND OF AN EXPLOSION erupts in the hall followed by GREG'S SCREAM. Essex, Mr. and Mrs. Smith turn around in shock and Essex looks in fearful realization. 

**MRS. SMITH**: "My God! What was that?"

**ESSEX**: (whispers) "Scott?"

* * *

In Scott's room, Greg lies unconscious on the ground outside, with blood trickling down his chin. A large hole is blown into the back wall of Scott's bedroom. Essex opens the door from in the hall and runs into the vacant bedroom. 

**ESSEX**: "Scott?"

Essex turns and looks at the hole in the wall. Essex runs over to Greg's side and notices the large bruise on his chest and stomach. Mr. and Mrs. Smith run into the room and they look around.

**MR. SMITH**: "My God!"

Mrs. Smith notices Essex outside and looking at the wounded boy on the ground.

**MRS. SMITH**: "Oh, my..."

Mr. and Mrs. Smith run over to Essex. Essex is frantically looking around the back yard. Only tall trees are visible on a hill in the distance.

**MR. SMITH**: "What happened?"

**ESSEX**: (yells) "Scott? Where are you, my boy?!?"

Essex lowers Greg on the ground, stands and walks off. Essex looks around, while Mr. and Mrs. Smith crouch by Greg's side.

**MRS. SMITH**: "Dave, call nine-one-one!"

**MR. SMITH**: "Dr. Essex, there's a boy hurt here!"

Essex ignores them. He doesn't seem to hear, or care. Essex is looking around the area in panic.

**ESSEX**: (yells) "SCOTT?" (beat) "SCOTT!!"

* * *

At a lone road, far from the orphanage, Scott walks down past the trees, feeling blindly at a tree, and he walks down the grassy, his eyes kept shut tight. Young Scott is silently sobbing, his face red as he breaks down hysterically into tears. 

**ESSEX**: (screams) "SCOOOOOOOTT!!!"


	2. Chapter 2 Four years ago

4 years ago - Louisiana

At night, in an old neighborhood, a two story, red-bricked house looms in the distance, beside other old, one-story brick houses.

* * *

On the upper level of the Fouche home, several teenagers are visible in an open doorway, dancing and partying. A teenager walks down the hall and into the party room. Down the hall, a shut doorway ahead has no lights on.

**ALEXA**: "My, my. Are you blushing?"

* * *

The master bedroom of the Fouche home is dark, but the fireworks visible from the windows keeps the room somewhat illuminated. Seated at one corner are two 15 year olds - the blonde ALEXA FOUCHE and the brunette, scruffy haired Cajun YOUNG REMY LEBEAU. Remy is wearing a trench coat over his clothes and gloves, while Alexa is wearing shorts and a tank top. Alexa smiles at Remy.

**ALEXA:** "Never thought I'd see the soft side to you."

**YOUNG REMY**: "You're worth letting my guard down for, cherie."

Remy puts his hand on the side of Alexa's face and he smiles at her.

**YOUNG REMY**: "Never met a girl like you before, Alexa."

Alexa smiles and nuzzles her cheek in Remy's palm.

**ALEXA**: "I feel the same way about you."

Remy grins and Alexa puts her hand over Remy's. Remy quickly recoils and winces.

**YOUNG REMY**: "Careful, girl. You gotta go easy on me."

**ALEXA**: "Sorry. Did the doctors say what was wrong with your hands?"

**YOUNG REMY**: "He couldn't find a thing wrong with them. He wants me to keep them covered just a bit longer. The medicine he had me take isn't helping ease the pain."

Alexa smiles and leans close to Remy.

**ALEXA**: "I think I've got the right medicine you need."

Young Remy smiles and leans close to Alexa. The two slowly lean forward and kiss. The two close their eyes and start to kiss, as the fireworks continue to erupt outside. Remy's hands start to glow with a dim red light and it bathes over the gloves. Alexa stops kissing and looks at Remy's hands in horror. ALEXA SCREAMS and young Remy opens his eyes and grabs at the gloves.

**YOUNG REMY**: "Whoa, crap!!"

The energy glows brighter, charging up in power, and Remy quickly turns to the open window. Remy quickly tosses the energized gloves out of the window and away from the house. Remy's gloves collide on the ground and they explode like a grenade as they hit the ground, blowing up the bottom of a tree. The explosion knocks the tree back and through a fence. The tree collides into the pool in the back yard of the next door neighbor's house. The back door of the neighbor's home slides open and a YOUNG GIRL looks at the back yard, stunned.

**YOUNG GIRL**: (yells) "DADDY! THERE'S A BIG TREE IN OUR POOL!"

Remy stares outside in shock and looks at his hands. The dim red glow of energy over his hands fades and disappears. Remy turns around to Alexa and she looks at him in shock. Alexa steps back from him, afraid.

**ALEXA**: "Remy, what did you do?"

A beat. Young Remy can only stare at his hands. Finally, he looks up at Alexa in equal fear.

**YOUNG REMY**: "Alexa, I... I didn't mean to..."

Remy reaches out to Alexa, but she quickly scrambles away from him and to the doorway.

**ALEXA**: (yells) "NO! DON'T TOUCH ME!"

Alexa turns around and runs out of the doorway. The kids approach down the hall and Alexa runs past them. The teenagers look into the room at Remy, as he turns and looks outside. Remy looks down and stares at his hands.


	3. Chapter 3 The not too distant future

Alkali Lake, Canada - the not too distant future - night

The new, ten stories tall Alkali Lake hospital looms in the distance in an old medical plaza. An ambulance drives off from the hospital.

**DR. LOEB**: "How is the patient?"

* * *

Within the top level of the hospital, the bald, mid-40s DR. JON LOEB walks down the main hall with a NURSE.

**NURSE**: "He's resting. He still hasn't woken up, though. There's still some mild scorching on his face and around the eyes."

**DR. LOEB**: "Does anyone who he is?"

**NURSE**: "No, sir. We didn't find any identification on him. After his ordeal, he's lucky to be alive."

Dr. Loeb nods and stops walking, standing outside of a patient's room. Loeb turns to the nurse.

**DR. LOEB**: "Is there any idea how he received these burns? Was anyone present when it happened?"

**NURSE**: "No, sir. He was found alone in the forest. It looks like he had been left there for several days."

Loeb nods and grabs the doorknob.

* * *

In the patient's room, Dr. Loeb opens the door and walks into the room from out in the hall. The Nurse follows Dr. Loeb in and they walk down the room to a patient bed. Dr. Loeb stands before the bed and looks ahead at the man lying on it.

**DR. LOEB**: "I think he's waking up."

The 30 year old man on the bed is SCOTT SUMMERS. He is wearing a hospital gown and a blanket is pulled up over him. Bandages are wrapped around his forehead, eyes and forehead and another bandage is taped to his left cheek. Scott stirs, his head turning to one side, and MOANS in pain. Dr. Loeb walks to Scott's side and Scott rubs his mouth. SCOTT COUGHS and flinches at the pain in his throat.

**DR. LOEB**: "He's coming out of it."

Scott turns his head to his right, startled.

**SCOTT**: (in raspy voice) "Who said that?"

Scott pauses for a moment and turns his head to his left.

**SCOTT**: "Jean? Jean?"

**DR. LOEB**: "Please, sir. Try not to speak. Your throat was damaged from the burns you sustained."

**SCOTT**: "Burns?" (beat) "Jean...Where's Jean?"

**DR. LOEB**: "Lie still. You've been in some sort of accident. You need to rest."

**SCOTT**: "Accident?" (beat) "My head hurts...Can't rest now. Jean. She's..."

**DR. LOEB**: (interrupts) "Please try not to talk again. You need to let your voice rest for a few days. Now listen to me very carefully, sir. My name is Dr. Jon Loeb. You're in a medical bed on the top floor of Alkali Lake Hospital. You were found burned and dehydrated a few miles from the lake and you were likely there for days, maybe even weeks. You're lucky to be alive."

**SCOTT**: "Weeks? But..." (beat) "Jean..."

Dr. Loeb stands beside Scott and looks at the singed flesh around Scott's mouth and lips. Dr. Loeb looks at the bandages around Scott's eyes. Scott rubs his hand down his mouth and cheeks gently and he feels the singed skin on his face.

**DR. LOEB**: "I need to take a quick look at your eyes and make sure your sight wasn't damaged by the burns."

Scott instantly looks fearful after hearing this statement. As Loeb reaches for the bandages, Scott instantly grabs his wrists and stops him.

**SCOTT**: "No! Don't do it!"

**DR. LOEB**: "Sir, please."

**SCOTT**: "Please...I don't want to hurt you."

**DR. LOEB**: "Nurse, help me."

The Nurse stands at the other side of Scott's bed and she lifts up the bandages, despite Scott's resistance with Dr. Loeb. Scott throws back his head and he lets go of Dr. Loeb's wrists, just as the bandages fall off his shut eyes.

**SCOTT**: "No! Don't! STOP!!"

The Nurse holds Scott's shut eyes with her fingers and nearly lifts Scott's eyes open. Scott quickly shoves both the Nurse and Dr. Loeb away with his hands.

**SCOTT**: (yells) "GET BACK!!"

As the Nurse is pushed back, she is able to lift Scott's eyes open as she's knocked back. BOOM!! Red energy suddenly flows up from Scott's pupils and it spews up through the ceiling. The powerful energy punctures through it and pushes its debris up, sending it flying onto the ceiling. Scott shuts his eyes tight and turns his head aside. The Nurse and Dr. Loeb sit up and look at Scott in shock. His head is lowered and tears go down his face. The Nurse and Dr. Loeb stare at Scott in disbelief, as he slowly raises his head.

**SCOTT**: (softly) "Please... please say I didn't hurt anyone."

* * *

In the morning, in the master bedroom of his home, ALEX SUMMERS - 28 years old with shaggy blond hair and wearing a robe over his clothes. Alex stares at a page of the newspaper. The door opens and LORNA DANE - 28 years old with a brunette wig worn over her hair - walks into the room. Lorna is dressed in an open robe over her nightgown. 

**LORNA**: "Alex" (A beat) "Sweetie?"

Lorna walks to Alex and stands before him. He still stares at the paper, ignoring her.

**LORNA**: "You said you were just going to read the paper and then you were going to get dressed. We'll be late for work."

Alex still stares at the paper, ignoring her. Tears are forming in his eyes. Lorna looks at him in concern.

**LORNA**: "Alex, what is it?"

Alex lowers the paper and shuts his eyes.

**ALEX**: "I didn't want to find him like this, Lorna. Never like this."

**LORNA**: "Baby, what are you talking about? Who did you find?"

Alex lowers his head and lowers the paper. Lorna takes the paper from Alex's hands and looks at the paper. She looks at the opened pages of the Obituaries section and looks at the list of names. Lorna looks at one name on the list: SCOTT SUMMERS. Lorna looks up at Alex, as he starts to cry. Lorna sits beside his chair and holds him close to her.

**LORNA**: (softly) "Oh, Alex."

* * *

In his office in Essex Laboratories, NATHANIEL ESSEX, now 50 years old, sits at his desk, dressed in a business suit. Essex looks down at several papers stapled together on his desk and he looks at the list of names typed on its front page from top to bottom. Essex looks at the page a moment, looking at the names. Essex shakes his head and sneers, as he turns to the next page. There is a knock on the door.

**ESSEX**: "Not now."

The door opens from the outside and SAGE - late-20s with long black hair - walks into the room, wearing a business suit.

**ESSEX**: "I have no time for this, Tessa."

**SAGE**: "Yes, sir. You do."

Essex looks up at Sage and sneers at her.

**ESSEX**: "What are you talking about?"

**SAGE**: "We just got a report from a new hospital at Alkali Lake of a mutant brought in for treatment. Part of the roof was blasted open when they opened his eyes. They didn't disclose a name to the public, but a source of ours working on their staff smuggled the name for us."

Sage hands Essex a folder and smiles. Essex takes the folder from Sage's hand and opens it to the front page.

**SAGE**: "Recognize the name?"

Essex looks at the page a moment and notices the name, stunned. Essex lets out a soft smile, somewhat relieved.

**ESSEX**: "Scott."


	4. Chapter 4 School daze

That afternoon, in Westchester, New York, LOGAN - looking early 30s and with his hair done up as always in a mutton-chop style - stands on the back porch of the Xavier School for the Gifted (a.k.a. the X-Mansion). He puffs on a lit cigar in his mouth. Seated on a bench, near the basketball court, is PIOTR "PETER" RASPUTIN - 18 years old, Russian and with dark hair. The muscular Piotr is painting on a blank canvas. KATHERINE "KITTY" PRYDE - 18 years old with short brunette hair - walks down the back porch and over to Logan.

**KITTY**: "Mr. Logan?"

Logan turns around and notices Kitty standing beside him.

**KITTY**: "What're you doing out here?"

**LOGAN**: "Having a smoke. What does it look like?"

**KITTY**: "I thought you'd be grading papers."

**LOGAN**: "I am. Just needed a moment to clear my head."

**KITTY**: "Any reason why?"

Logan turns to Kitty, raising an eyebrow.

**LOGAN**: "How's that your business?"

A beat. Kitty shrugs. LOGAN SIGHS and calms down.

**KITTY**: "I heard noises in the kitchen last night. Rogue thought it was you."

Logan pauses and shakes his head.

**LOGAN**: "It was. Just been having weird dreams lately. Weird flashes in my head."

**KITTY**: "Do you know what it might be?"

**LOGAN**: "There a reason why you came looking for me?"

**KITTY**: "Actually, I was wondering if you knew where Bobby was."

**LOGAN**: "Knowing Bobby, he's probably with Rogue, now that she can touch him."

**KITTY**: "Mr. Logan, Rogue's the one who sent me to find him. She hasn't seen him anywhere."

Logan looks at Kitty in confusion and then he looks at the mansion.

* * *

In one of the hallways of the X-Mansion, ROGUE - 18 years old, Southern and with a white stripe in her long, brunette hair - walks down the hall, dressed in a tank top and pants. Rogue holds her text books under her arm, passing by other students in the hall. Rogue bumps into a boy in the hall, their bare arms bumping together. Rogue turns around to the boy. 

**ROGUE**: "Excuse me."

The boy sneers at Rogue, turns and walks off. Rogue looks away and walks off to her locker. Rogue opens her locker door and sees a turtleneck sweater, pants and long gloves taped to her door. A note is pinned to the clothes and reads _YOU SHOULD BE WEARING THESE INSTEAD_. Rogue lowers her head a moment and then looks at the note. Rogue takes the note off and crumples it in her hands.

**WARREN**: "They're at it again, aren't they?"

Rogue turns around and looks at WARREN WORTHINGTON III - 25 years old with blond hair and dressed in a blue business suit. Two white feathered, angelic wings emerge from Warren's shoulder blades through the openings in the back of his clothes. Warren walks to Rogue and smiles at her.

**WARREN**: "Don't let them get to you."

**ROGUE**: "I'm not. It's okay."

Rogue turns around and puts up her textbooks in her locker. Rogue turns back to Warren and she smiles at him.

**ROGUE**: "So, I heard you're going to be teaching here now."

**WARREN**: "It seemed like the right thing to do. There are so many kids here that feel like they don't fit in, even here. I want to change that."

**ROGUE**: "I know you'll do a great job here. Has the other new teacher come by yet?"

**WARREN**: "I'm afraid not. I heard Miss Danvers arrives here later today. I believe she starts teaching tomorrow."

Warren puts his hand on Rogue's shoulder and looks at her in concern.

**WARREN**: "Just remember, Marie. My door is always open. If you ever want to talk, I'll be there to listen."

**ROGUE**: "I know. Thank you."

Rogue forces a smile and Warren turns, walking off. After Warren leaves, Rogue's smile fades and she turns around to the hallway. Several students are at their lockers, busy putting up books or taking out journals. Other students are looking at Rogue, sneering at her. Rogue looks away, upset, and takes a folder out of her locker.

* * *

Within the lower level of the X-Mansion is THE DANGER ROOM. The room is enormous, about half the size of a football field and individual blue tiles connected on top of and beside one another on the walls. ORORO MUNROE - 30 years old, African-American and with long white hair - stands in the room, wearing a black leather X-Men uniform and cape. Ororo, a.k.a. STORM, looks over at BOBBY DRAKE - 18 years old with blond hair and dressed in his own X-Men uniform with white piping shaped like icicles down the shoulders of his suit. Bobby looks over at Storm, as she nods at him.

**STORM**: "All right, Bobby. Show me what you can do."

Bobby nods and lets out a breath of icy mist.

**BOBBY**: "Right."

Bobby throws down his hands and creates an icy mist from his hands. Bobby aims his hands forward, extending the ice and it instantly solidifies after it is fired, making a track of ice. Bobby leaps onto the track of ice and slides forward on it. As Bobby slides along the icy track, he continues to fire his icy track forward, extending it out like a roller coaster track made of ice. Bobby slides on his ice slide and his body freezes the fired mist from his hands, his body and suit sheathed over in a coating of ice. Bobby, now as ICEMAN, turns to Storm as he rides on his ice track.

**BOBBY/ICEMAN**: "Go ahead."

Storm's eyes lose their pupils and turn white. Lightning sparks between her fingers and arches up to her fingertips. Storm aims her hands up in the air and fires an electric blast at Iceman. Iceman turns to his right and the track curves, making Iceman slide and curve with it. Iceman's turn makes him miss the lightning by inches. Storm fires another blast from one hand, but Iceman slides to his left and curves with the extending track made by the ice from his hands. Iceman slides up higher and higher off the ground, as he rides on his icy track.

**STORM**: "Good work, Bobby. Keep it up. Watch your balance. Just three more left."

Storm aims ahead and fires another lightning blast at Iceman's ice slide. Iceman leans back and misses the lightning blast by inches. Iceman leans down and slides down with his icy track. Iceman slides down and gets ever closer to the ground. Storm fires two electric blasts next, one from each hand, and right at Iceman. Iceman continues to slide down and then he turns to the left, sliding past the lightning and barely dodging it. Storm fires another blast and it barely misses the icy track of ice. On her last attempt, Storm fires another lightning blast and it hits the front of the icy track. Iceman slides off of the broken track and falls forward. Iceman quickly aims his hands to the ground and makes up a slide of ice from the ground up, making it instantly solidify. With the ice slide made, Iceman falls down onto it and slides down to the floor. Iceman lands on the floor and his icy form fades away, changing back to his normal form of Bobby Drake. Bobby sees Storm stand before him and she grins.

**STORM**: "Nice recovery."

**BOBBY**: "I still lost."

**STORM**: "Sometimes we learn more from failing than by winning."

**ROGUE** (O. C.): "Bobby?"

Storm and Bobby turn to the doorway, as Rogue walks into the room.

**ROGUE**: "There you are. I've been looking for you."

**BOBBY**: "What is it? Did something happen?"

**ROGUE**: "We were supposed to meet after class and we were going to hang out together, remember?"

**BOBBY**: "That's it? I thought I missed something important."

Rogue looks hurt at Bobby. He realizes this and looks awkward.

**BOBBY**: "That is... I just meant that... I didn't mean to forget."

**ROGUE**: "Well, we can still catch up. Was there something you wanted to do?"

**BOBBY**: "Actually, I'm still in the middle of training. Miss Munroe is trying to help me with my ice powers."

**ROGUE**: "Well, maybe when you're done..."

**STORM**: (interrupts) "Bobby, we're pressed for time. I have to go over Colossus' session later and I need the remaining time to help you uninterrupted."

Storm looks at Bobby sternly and then turns to Rogue. Rogue nods and steps back.

**ROGUE**: "Right. I'll just see you whenever you can make time, Bobby."

**BOBBY**: "We'll see. I have to get back to work."

Bobby turns to Storm and walks off with her down the room. Rogue looks at Bobby a moment, hurt, but he doesn't notice. Rogue turns and walks off to the doorway. The doors slide open and Rogue walks out.


	5. Chapter 5 The call

At night, in a hospital on Muir Island, DR. MOIRA MACTAGGERT - early-40s, Scottish and long brunette hair - walks down to the bed of an elderly male patient. The man in the bed is seen from behind, his face not shown.

**MOIRA**: "Are you sure you want to do this so soon?"

**PATIENT**: "They have to know, Moira. Please, call them for me."

Moira looks at the patient a moment and then she nods.

**MOIRA**: "All right. What's the number?"

* * *

Back in the X-Mansion, still afternoon in New York time, Logan sits at a desk in his classroom. He looks over a page with a multiple choice quiz printed on it. Logan looks at the answer booklet beside it, matching up the book's answers with that of the student's circled answers. Logan looks at the page and makes three x marks over three separate answers. Logan shakes his head and looks at the answer book. 

**LOGAN**: "Going from gutting soldiers to scribbling incorrect history problems. Never thought it'd come to this."

The phone across the room rings and Logan pauses, looking up at it. Logan rises from his seat and walks over to the phone, as it rings again. Logan grabs the phone and picks it up.

**LOGAN**: "Hello?"

**MOIRA**: (on the phone) "Hello? Is this Logan?"

**LOGAN**: "Who is this?"

**MOIRA**: (on the phone) "This is Dr. Moira MacTaggert. We met at Charles' funeral, remember?"

**LOGAN**: "Yeah, I remember. What'd you want to talk about?"

**MOIRA**: "I have a patient here who asked me to call you. He wants to speak with you."

**LOGAN**: "With me? From Scotland?"

**MOIRA**: (on the phone) "I'll put him on for you."

Logan pauses a moment, waiting.

**PATIENT**: (on the phone) "Good afternoon, Logan."

**LOGAN**: "You must be the one who wanted to speak with me. What're you calling about?"

**PATIENT**: (on the phone) "I heard about Jean. I am very sorry it had to come to that. I know how much you cared for her."

Logan tenses and turns away.

**LOGAN**: "Why are you bringing up Jean?"

**PATIENT**: (on the phone) "Because I know you only wanted to help her, just as I did. We both know how powerful she had become, even when we were in her living room. I saw you look at us from the next room when Jean had lost control."

**LOGAN**: "What are you talking about? Just who are you, anyway?"

**PATIENT**: (on the phone) "I was the one who helped you try to find what you lost and what you were looking for. Are you still trying to find some answers?"

A beat. Logan looks a bit puzzled. Something about his words...

**LOGAN**: "What're you..."

**PATIENT**: (on the phone, interrupts) "You're not the only one with gifts."

Logan pauses a moment and looks in realization.

* * *

Back in the Danger Room, Bobby has already left and now Piotr stands next to Storm. Piotr is dressed in his own X-Men uniform and the sleeves are removed. A sheath of metal runs over Piotr's body and covers his body in metal skin, while his hair turns metallic and his eyes turn white. Piotr is now COLOSSUS. Storm and Colossus look over at a dozen, propped up test dummies scattered throughout the room. Each dummy has an unlit light bulb sticking from its chest.

**STORM**: "All right, Piotr. For this exercise, you need to hit the targets around here in the order they light up. Some are harder to beat than others and some will have special barricades that will form around them for protection. You will need to find a way to get all twelve targets before the time runs out. Are you ready to begin?"

**PIOTR/COLOSSUS**: "_Da_. Just say when."

**LOGAN**: "I'd say tomorrow works better."

Storm and Colossus turn around, as Logan walks over to them.

**LOGAN **(CONT'D): "Class has been cancelled."

**STORM**: "What do you think you're doing, Logan? I'm trying to teach!"

**LOGAN**: "Not anymore. We need to talk." (turns to Colossus) "If you have any homework to catch up on, Pete, I suggest you do it now."

**STORM**: "Logan, this --"

**LOGAN**: (interrupts) "Is urgent. You have to hear what I'm going to tell you."

Storm looks at Logan a moment and then turns to Colossus.

**STORM**: (sighs) "Fine. I'll reschedule this exercise for another time."

**PIOTR/COLOSSUS**: "All right. _Do svidanya_."

Colossus' metal skin fades away and reverts back to his normal form of Piotr. The doors slide open as Piotr walks to the doorway and then they slide shut after he walks out of the room. Storm looks at Logan sternly.

**STORM**: "This had better be worth it, Logan."

**LOGAN**: "I just got a call from Moira MacTaggert down on Muir Island. She said she has a patient down there that was previously brain- dead and suddenly woke up several days ago. But this guy wants us to come down so he can see us."

**STORM**: "Why? Who is he?"

**LOGAN**: "He said you wouldn't believe me otherwise, so he wanted me to tell you something you both knew."

**STORM**: "What was that?"

**LOGAN**: "He wanted me to tell you how you first met. That he was passing through Cairo as a tourist and he saw you when you were a kid. You picked his wallet and ran off. He chased after you into an alleyway, behind a diner."

Storm's stern look fades as Logan talks.

**LOGAN** (CONT'D): "He said he stopped you with a simple mental bolt, made you stop running and stay where you were long enough for him to get his wallet back." (beat) "He said to tell you he stills remember the day you first came in the school, how he recognized you walking in without having to read your thoughts. He told you that, didn't he?"

Storm pauses and looks at Logan in shock.

**STORM**: "He..." (beat) "You saw him die."

Logan shakes his head.

**LOGAN**: "He said I saw his body die, but not his mind. I don't know how, Ororo, but we have to check this out. He might be alive."

Storm pauses a moment, tears forming in her eyes. Storm looks away, stunned.

**STORM**: (whispers) "Charles?"

**LOGAN**: "I know you and the Professor are... were... close. I thought that you should know about this." (beat) "I told Warren to watch the kids. I'm flying to Muir Island to check this out. I want to see if this guy really is legit."

Storm pauses and turns to Logan.

**STORM**: "If you're going, I'm going, too."

**LOGAN**: "Hold on a minute. The guy knew things about us, yeah, but we don't know it's him for sure. That's why I'm going alone."

**STORM**: "I have as much right to find out if it's the Professor or not as you do. If he's a fake or not, I want to see for myself."

Logan pauses and then gruffly nods.

**LOGAN**: "Fine. Let's get going."

Storm nods and follows Logan out of the room.

* * *

Within the main hall of the X-Mansion, Kitty walks down the stairs and into the hall. Warren walks down the hall and Kitty turns to face him.

**KITTY**: "Excuse me, Mr. Worthington. Have you seen Miss Munroe around?"

**WARREN**: "She left with Logan to Muir Island. She said she will call when they arrive. She's having the new teacher substitute for her classes while she's gone."

There is a knock on the front door and Warren turns to it.

**WARREN**: "That must be her now."

Warren walks down to the front door and opens it. CAROL DANVERS - 38 years old with blonde hair - walks in from the doorway, wearing a jacket over her T-shirt and jeans. Carol looks over at Warren, holding two suitcases in her hands.

**WARREN**: "Hello, Miss Danvers. Welcome to the Xavier School. I'm Warren Worthington the third."

Carol sets down a suitcase and shakes Warren's hand.

**CAROL**: "It's nice to meet you."

**WARREN**: "May I help you with your suitcase?"

Warren walks to the set down suitcase and tries to lift it. Warren struggles a moment, but the bag is too heavy for him. Carol smiles and picks up the suitcase with one hand, holding it with ease.

**CAROL**: "I think it might be too heavy for you, but thank you."

Carol turns to Kitty and smiles at her.

**CAROL**: "And you are?"

**KITTY**: "Kitty Pryde. Miss Munroe told me to show you to your room. Well, she did before she left."

**CAROL**: "Left? Where did she go?"

**WARREN**: "She went away on business. She'll be back in two days."

**CAROL**: "All right. Shall we go on?"

**KITTY**: "All right. This way."

**ROBERTO**: "You're too slow, Sammy boy! You can't catch me!"

Kitty turns around and sees ROBERTO DECOSTA - 18 years old with curly black hair - flying ahead down the hall. Roberto's skin is covered in a coating of black ash, his eyes are fiery orange and an aura of fire is around his body. Roberto is in his form of SUNSPOT. Sunspot flies down the hall and right through Kitty, passing through her like a ghost. Kitty moves aside, as a second 18 year old with blonde hair - SAM GUTHRIE - flies down the hall after him. Sam's legs are covered over by a fiery blast field, which sends him flying after Sunspot.

**SAM**: "Get back here, Roberto! Give me back the ten bucks you picked out of my wallet!"

Carol and Warren look down the hall, watching the two young men fly down the hall and out of an exit door to the next room. Carol turns and looks at Kitty. Kitty shrugs and lets out a soft smile.

**KITTY**: "Welcome to Mutant High."


	6. Chapter 6 Discovered

It is later that night, downtown. An old bar stands in the middle of a seedy looking part of town, near an old gas station.

* * *

Within in the bar, DEREK - mid-40s, African-American and muscular - stands behind the bar, serving as bartender. Derek cleans out an empty mug with a towel and turns to the customers seated before the bar. A mid-30s MAN walks to the bar. 

**DEREK**: "What would you like to order, mister?"

**MAN**: "I'll have a beer."

Derek nods and walks off to fill up the cleaned-out mug with the beer. The man sits at the bar, while a distant clinking noise occurs down the room.

**VINNIE**: "Well, you're the last one, Carl. How many cards do you want?"

**CARL**: "Two cards."

At the far end of the room, five men are seated at a round table playing poker. The dealer is VINNIE - early-30s with blond hair and muscular, while the thin yet tall CARL sits next to him. Seated to Vinnie's left is JOE, mid-30s and out of shape. Seated to Carl's right is HARRY, late-20s with a goatee. The fifth man seated is not seen yet, a bit covered in the shadows. Vinnie deals two new cards to Carl, while Harry looks at his own five cards, rolls his eyes, and then he sets them down on the table.

**HARRY**: "I'm out."

Carl looks at his own hand a moment and then does the same.

**CARL**: "Me, too."

Vinnie grins and turns to Joe. Joe sneers and sets down his cards on the table.

**JOE**: (sighs) "Damn it."

Vinnie grins and looks up at the unseen fifth player.

**VINNIE**: "You out, too?"

The fifth man at the table is a scruffy Cajun with a mop of messy brown hair - REMY LEBEAU, now 19. Remy, now called GAMBIT, is dressed in a T-shirt and black pants under his open brown trench coat. Gambit looks up at Vinnie and grins.

**GAMBIT**: "I in."

Gambit sets down a roll of twenty dollar bills on the table, matching Vinnie's own bet of money on the table.

**VINNIE**: (in mock Cajun accent) "A'ight, Cajun boy. It's yo' funeral."

Vinnie smiles and sets down his hand of cards - four jacks and an eight.

**VINNIE**: "Four jacks."

Gambit looks on in mocked fear.

**GAMBIT**: "Oh, no. How am I ever supposed to beat a hand such as that? All I got is two pair."

Vinnie smiles and reaches for the money on the table. Gambit sets down his cards, faced up, on the table and Vinnie stops. Vinnie's smile fades, as he looks at Gambit's hand: four queens and an ace.

**GAMBIT**: "Two pairs of lovely ladies." (smiles) "Isn't that a daisy?"

Gambit grins and reaches for the money. Vinnie grabs Gambit's wrist, stopping him.

**VINNIE**: "You son of a bitch! You cheated me out of my money!"

**JOE**: "Take it easy, Vinnie!"

**VINNIE**: "Shut up, Joe! This guy has won five hands in a row without losing. I want to know why he beat us!"

Gambit looks at Vinnie innocently and shrugs.

**GAMBIT**: "Luck."

**VINNIE**: "Oh, yeah? Well, your luck just went sour, dip-stick."

Vinnie makes his free hand into fist and pulls it back to strike. Gambit quickly delivers a right cross to Vinnie's chin before he can strike and the hit knocks Vinnie to the floor. The three other men rise from their chairs and turn to Remy.

**JOE**: "Bad move, twerp!"

As Vinnie sits up, Gambit steps back and Vinnie grins.

**VINNIE**: "You're outnumbered, boy."

Gambit reaches into the pocket in his trench coat and pulls out a deck of poker cards. Gambit lets out a sly grin.

**GAMBIT**: "You wanna see a card trick, gents?"

**CARL**: "Why? That your last request before we snap your scrawny little neck?"

Gambit grins and his fingers shine with red energy. The poker cards are also bathed over in red energy and the three men step back in shock. Gambit tosses an energized card ahead at each man, one at a time, and the cards explode as they collide onto each man's chest. The impact knocks Carl, Joe and Harry down to the ground, the chests of their shirts singed by the mild explosion. Vinnie looks at his friends and then at Gambit.

**GAMBIT**: "And that was me _holding back_."

Derek looks at Gambit, noticing the men knocked down. Gambit scoops up the chips and money from the table and puts it in the pockets of his trench coat. Derek reaches for his gun hidden behind the bar.

**GAMBIT**: "Pleasure doing business with you guys, but I have t' dash now. But before I go..."

Gambit picks up a poker card from the table and charges it with energy. Gambit turns to the bar, as Derek stands up and holds up the gun. Gambit tosses the card across the room and it hits Derek's chest, exploding. The impact shoves Derek backwards and he drops the gun. As Derek falls and hits the floor, Gambit grins and turns to the exit. Gambit pushes the door open and walks outside.

* * *

Elsewhere, in Alex's home, Alex sits at the desk before the side wall, typing on the computer set on it, dressed in a T-shirt and jeans. Alex types another moment and then hits the return button. The computer screen shows a road map on it, with an area circled and driving directions listed under the map. Lorna walks into the room and to Alex's side. 

**LORNA**: "Did you have any luck?"

**ALEX**: "I just found it. It's located in the Salem region of upstate New York. He was a teacher there for years and I never even knew it."

Lorna removes her wig, showing her true _green_ hair beneath.

**LORNA**: "When did you want to go?"

**ALEX**: "First thing in the morning. Thank you for coming with me."

Lorna smiles and holds Alex's hand.

**LORNA**: "I'm almost done packing. I just hope you get the answers you're looking for."

**ALEX**: "I'm sure there has to be someone still there who knew him. If they have the time to talk, they can tell me what my brother was like."

* * *

Back in the Alkali Lake Hospital, later that night, Dr. Essex and Sage walk out of the elevator and down the top floor's hall to Dr. Loeb. 

**ESSEX**: "Excuse me, Doctor. Can you tell me where I can find a friend of mine? I heard he was a patient here."

**DR. LOEB**: "What's your friend's name?"

**ESSEX**: "Scott Summers."

Loeb's expression fades and he looks at Sage and Essex, puzzled.

**DR. LOEB**: "You know Mr. Summers?"

**SAGE**: "Yes, we do. What room is he in?"

**DR. LOEB**: "Down the hall, the last room on the left. He's getting picked up by the authorities as soon as he recovers."

**SAGE**: "The authorities?"

Sage steps forward, but Essex puts his hand on her shoulder and stops her.

**ESSEX**: "May I see him, please?"

**DR. LOEB**: "You won't have long. Visiting hours are almost over."

**ESSEX**: "Don't worry, Doctor. I won't take long."

* * *

In the patient's room, Scott sits on his bed, his hand over his shut, bandage-covered eyes. Essex stands in the open doorway, staring at Scott with a soft smile. 

**ESSEX**: "It's really you, isn't it, Scott?"

Scott lifts up his head, as Essex walks into the room.

**SCOTT**: (in raspy voice) "Dr. Essex?"

Scott pauses a moment, as Essex stands before his bed.

**ESSEX**: "After all these years, you still recognize my voice. You always were a bright young man."

**SCOTT**: "What are you doing here?"

**ESSEX**: "I came for you. I've been looking for you since you ran away from my orphanage."

**SCOTT**: "I had to leave. It wasn't safe for me to stay."

Essex looks up at the hole in the roof, which has already been boarded up.

**ESSEX**: "So I see. I heard about the power in your eyes. You must have been so afraid." (beat) "My dear Scott. This is my fault, isn't it? You ran away because you thought I wouldn't understand you."

Essex walks to Scott's bed and stands beside him.

**ESSEX**: "You have a gift you can't control, don't you? I could have helped you before. I can now, if you'll let me."

**SCOTT**: "What do you mean?"

**ESSEX**: "I'll explain on the way. You're being discharged into my care."

**SCOTT**: "But the authorities... Jean..."

**ESSEX**: (interrupts) "Don't worry. I persuaded the authorities and the hospital staff to let you come with me. There's so much to catch up on, to talk about."

**SCOTT**: "I can't. If I am getting released, I need to find Jean and get back to the school. I'm needed there." (beat) "I can't go with you. I'm sorry."

Essex frowns.

**ESSEX**: "So am I."

Sage stands at the other side of Scott's bed, holding a small pistol-like device in her hands. Sage fires the pistol into Scott's neck, hitting him with a tranquilizer, and Scott stiffens. Scott lies back on the bed, getting groggy quick.

**SCOTT**: "What was that? What did you..."

Essex frowns as Scott passes out. Sage looks up at Essex and motions her head behind her.

**SAGE**: "What about them? They won't let us take him."

Essex smiles and his eyes lose their pupils, turning completely _red_.

**ESSEX**: "Then let's go deal with them."


	7. Chapter 7 The patient

On Muir Island, Moira stands in the main hall, waiting. The clock on the wall reads 9 A.M. The doors slide open and Logan and Storm walk in. They walk down the hall to Moira.

**MOIRA**: "It's good to see you both again. I trust you had a good flight."

**LOGAN**: "What room is he in?"

**MOIRA**: "This way, please."

Moira turns and walks down the hall, with Logan and Storm following after her.

* * *

Moira opens the door to one of the patient's rooms and walks inside. Storm and Logan follow her inside, with Storm shutting the door behind her. 

**MOIRA**: "You have visitors."

**PATIENT**: "Good morning, Logan."

Logan and Storm walk down the room, towards the bed of the patient. They stop walking and look ahead in shock. The early-60s, bald PATIENT is CHARLES XAVIER. He looks exactly like he did in his original body, right down to the eyes and voice. Xavier smiles at them.

**XAVIER**: "It's good to see you too, Ororo."

Storm stares ahead in shock, unable to believe her eyes.

**XAVIER**: "I know this must be a bit of a shock for you both. But it really is me."

**ORORO**: "The patient... the one from the video you showed the students. I didn't know it'd look..."

**XAVIER**: (interrupts) "Look and sound like me?" (beat) "It does. But I don't have my telepathy anymore. It left with my old body."

Logan folds his arms over his chest, giving him a skeptical look.

**LOGAN**: "So, how are you here now?"

**XAVIER**: "Before Jean turned my old body to ashes, I managed to have my mind leave my body in an astral form and I was able to go here to possess this new body. It took all of my concentration to get me here, but I am afraid now I am powerless in this new body. My telepathy either won't work in this form... or my powers have left me completely."

Logan looks at Xavier a moment and then looks at Storm.

**LOGAN**: "You buying this?"

**STORM**: "If what you're saying is true, we need you to prove you are the real Charles Xavier. We need you to tell us something only you knew about us."

**XAVIER**: "Very well. I remember the very first time I took you into the Danger Room, Ororo. You were a young woman at the time and had only been in my school a week. I was training you to help you control your powers and conquer your darkest fear."

Storm's stern look fades, looking at Xavier in disbelief as he speaks.

**XAVIER** (CONT'D): "You had always been claustrophobic and I was trying to teach you to overcome it in the training simulation. You were so frightened, I had to abort the mission. You were shaking like a leaf when I took your hand. But I made you a promise to be there for you whenever you needed me, just as I promised all of my X-Men. I still plan to keep my promise."

Storm looks at Xavier, tears running down her face.

**STORM**: "Charles?"

Storm walks to Xavier and she sits beside him. Xavier smiles at her and wipes the tears from her eyes.

**XAVIER**: (softly) "It's all right now."

Xavier turns and looks at Logan.

**LOGAN**: "What about me? Can you sum up a story about me only the real Xavier would know?"

**XAVIER**: "I'll make it brief. You remember that day, fifteen years ago? When Heather found you in the woods?"

Logan looks at Xavier, stunned. Storm looks at Logan while Xavier talks.

**XAVIER**: "Do you remember how she and her husband, James, took you in after you had left Alkali Lake? You were lost, feral. You almost killed them in a berserker rage and yet, they calmed you down, took you in and showed you hospitality. They helped you calm your fits of anger and regain your humanity. You told them you..."

Xavier stops, as Logan lowers his head and shuts his eyes, upset. Logan makes his hands into fists a moment and Xavier eyes him in concern. Logan calms down and opens his eyes.

**LOGAN**: "I told them I could never repay them for all the help they gave me." (beat) "Welcome back, cue-ball."

Xavier grins at Logan.

**STORM**: "How long have you been like this?"

**XAVIER**: "About a week. I had to get used to being in my new body. When I awoke in this body, it was ill and I could barely move or speak. I had to get better before I could tell you I was alive."

Xavier bends his knees as he sits up. Storm looks surprised by this.

**XAVIER**: "I will also need to get used to using these again. Moira is going to help me learn to walk again."

**LOGAN**: "So what do you plan to do now, Charlie?"

**XAVIER**: "I get discharged from the hospital tomorrow. When I'm released, I intend to go back with you to the school. There's so much to explain and so much work left to be done."

Storm smiles and holds Xavier's hand.

**STORM**: "Welcome back, Professor. We've missed you."


	8. Chapter 8 Lost and found

At 2 P.M., at a Russian security compound, Sage walks to the front doors of the main security building. She is wearing a delivery worker uniform and holding a briefcase in her hands. Two SECURITY GUARDS and two doctors - the tall, mid-30s DR. KRAMER and the bald, late-40s DR. DRAGO - stand before the front doors, waiting for her.

**DR. KRAMER**: "So, you're the new delivery woman the department sent over."

**SAGE**: "Yes, I am. I've brought over the equipment that you requested."

**DR. DRAGO**: "Oh, good. Dr. Kramer and I have been waiting for this shipment to arrive for some time."

**SAGE**: "Well, then, shall we go inside? I have orders to install the canister."

**DR. KRAMER**: "I'm afraid you cannot enter. It is not permitted. This needs to go into a restricted level..."

**SAGE**: (interrupts) "One level below. I'm well aware of your need to install it into the cryogenic chamber, Doctor."

Drago and Kramer look at Sage, stunned.

**DR. DRAGO**: "What? Who spoke to you about that?"

**SAGE**: "Spoke to me about what, Dr. Drago? I was never even here at this compound. At least, that's what you'll remember when you wake up."

The two Guards behind them look groggy and they fall to the floor, unconscious. Drago and Kramer step back in shock and Sage smiles. Drago and Kramer pause for a moment and then their eyes roll back in their heads, as they fall to the floor. Kramer and Drago land unconscious. Sage smiles, sets the briefcase down on the ground, opens the front doors and walks into the compound.

* * *

In one of the cell's of the prison building, six security guards stand at the walls around a large cell and watch over the four doctors that are hard at work. One of the doctors looks at a monitor hooked up to a large, round cryogenic chamber propped up against the back wall. One elderly doctor sits behind a nearby desk and types on its computer. The elderly doctor suddenly stops typing and passes out, falling forward and landing on the computer keyboard on the desk. The other doctors stop working and turn to the elderly doctor. One moves forward to him, but stops and suddenly passes out. One by one, the doctors and guards freeze in place and pass out, falling to the floor. Within seconds, after everyone in the room has been rendered unconscious, the door to the room opens and Sage walks in. Sage walks down the stairs into the room and walks down to the cryogenic chamber. Inside the chamber stands a man frozen in a block of ice, dressed in a black military uniform. The athletically fit man has chalk-white skin, red pupils and a six-foot-long metal coil growing out of an opening in the top of each wrist. This man is ARKADY ROSSOVICH, a.k.a. OMEGA RED. 

**SAGE**: "To think, they wanted to keep you on ice like this. Not anymore."

Sage walks to the control keyboard on the side of the cryogenic chamber and she types on the keys.

**SAGE**: "We've finally found you. Now, we're going to bring you back where you belong."

Sage continues to type on the controls and then she enters the return button. The chamber lets out a low beep and the ice begins to thaw. The chamber begins to shine with red light inside the chamber, heating the ice. Inside the chamber, the coils start to writhe against the ice. Sage smiles and pushes down on a green button on the controls. The doors slide open and Omega Red's eyes blink. Omega Red's coils writhe faster against the ice, cracking it. Finally, Omega Red himself struggles and the coils break through the ice, lunging forward. The ice breaks off of Omega Red and falls to the floor, as he steps out into the room. Omega Red turns to Sage and narrows his eyes, shivering.

**SAGE**: "Hello, Mr. Rossovich. You were a difficult man to find. Your employer sent me to break you out."

Omega Red smiles and his coils writhe around.

**OMEGA RED**: "So, it is finally time."

**SAGE**: "How do you feel?"

Omega Red lets out an evil smile.

**OMEGA RED**: "Hungry."

Sage smiles and looks down at the ground. The elderly doctor stirs and awakens, while the others remain unconscious.

**SAGE**: "That's why I'm waking them up for you, one by one. Bon appetit."

The elderly doctor sits up and look over at Sage in confusion. Sage points ahead and the doctor turns to Omega Red. The doctor looks on in shock and the doctor SCREAMS in horror as one of Omega Red's coils wraps around the elderly doctor's waist.

**OMEGA RED**: "Hello, comrade. Did you miss me?"

The elderly man struggles against the coil and a white energy shines around the coil. The energy shines over the elderly doctor and he quickly weakens, slumping down in Omega Red's grip. Omega Red smiles at the doctor.

**OMEGA RED**: "Ahh... delicious."

* * *

At 8 A.M. in Essex's hideout, Scott lies on his back on a table, unconscious, in a large, mostly vacant storage room. Scott is dressed in an open jacket over a T-shirt and jeans, with his wrists and ankles are tightly shackled down to the table. Scott stirs and awakens, but keeps his eyes shut. Scott turns his head down and tries to lift up his arms, but notices the restraints. Scott blindly struggles to lift his arms and legs. Essex walks down the room and stands by his table, his eyes normal again. 

**ESSEX**: "Please don't struggle, Scott. You'll hurt yourself."

Scott turns his head to Essex's direction.

**SCOTT**: "Why are you doing this to me? What do you want?"

**ESSEX**: "To take care of you. I've been looking for you for years, but you've been so hard to locate. I did some research on you, found some of your files and your records of enrolling in the Xavier school."

**SCOTT**: "What?"

**ESSEX**: "Oh, yes. I've done my research on you since I've found you. I even found out about your medical prescription for your ruby-quartz glasses. I'm going to pick up some pairs just for you this afternoon. It's amazing what you can learn on the internet these days, isn't it?"

**SCOTT**: "Why do you want me?"

**ESSEX**: "You honestly don't know, do you? You're the future, son. You're everything." (beat) "I'll be back to bring you some breakfast, then I have to go. I have work to do. You have a new start ahead of you, Mr. Summers. I intend to see you through it."

Essex turns and walks off down the room.

* * *

Essex walks down the stairs and down the main hallway of his hideout. Essex stops walking and smiles, folding his arms over his chest. 

**ESSEX**: "I've waited fifteen years to find him."

A shadowy figure, twice the size of Essex, stands behind him.

**VOICE**: "And now you have."

**ESSEX**: "I tried to find time to locate him over the years, but our cause comes first."

**VOICE**: "And now he will be in our cause. If not willingly, he will be our pawn. Have you sent your contact into the school?"

**ESSEX**: "Yes, I have. She enrolled in the Xavier School a few days ago. What an ironic coincidence."

**VOICE**: "No matter. Soon, we will have the information we need... and the mutants we're looking for."

* * *

At 11 A.M., over in the main hallway of the X-Mansion, Rogue walks out of a classroom and down the main front hall. Rogue watches other students pass by, some giving her grim stares. Rogue looks away and down the hall. Bobby walks down the stairs, holding textbooks under his arm. 

**ROGUE**: "Bobby!"

Bobby doesn't seem to hear. Instead, he turns and walks down the hall. Rogue hurries down the hall after him and catches up with Bobby.

**ROGUE**: "Bobby? Didn't you hear me call you?"

**BOBBY**: "Huh? Oh, sorry. I've been busy."

**ROGUE**: "I wanted to see if you were still available for lunch today."

**BOBBY**: "I can't. I have plans with Sam and Jones."

**ROGUE**: "What about our plans?"

Bobby stops walking and turns to Rogue.

**BOBBY**: "What's that supposed to mean?"

**ROGUE**: "You tell me. You're the one who has been canceling our plans."

**BOBBY**: "Like I said, I've been busy."

**ROGUE**: "You sure can make time for your friends. We haven't had lunch together in a week. You've been forgetting our plans we made."

Rogue reaches out to Bobby, but he pulls back. Rogue pauses and looks at Bobby, hurt.

**ROGUE**: "Why did you do that? You know my touch can't hurt you."

**BOBBY**: "I don't know."

Bobby looks at the students at lockers at the side of the hall, as they give Rogue and Bobby stern looks.

**ROGUE**: "Bobby, we need to talk."

**BOBBY**: "Later. We have class in five minutes, remember?"

The doorbell rings. Rogue and Bobby turn around to the doorway. Rogue walks over to the doorway and opens it. Gambit stands outside, his hands in his pants pockets. Gambit widens his eyes as he looks at Rogue, stunned. He smiles at Rogue, clearly smitten with her at first sight.

**GAMBIT**: "Mon dieu."

**ROGUE**: "Can I help you?"

**GAMBIT**: "I sure hope so."

Bobby walks to the doorway, standing with Rogue.

**BOBBY**: "Can we help you?"

**GAMBIT**: "I heard this school was a safe place for mutants. You guys got room for one more?"

**ROGUE**: "The school's open to all mutants. What's your name?"

**GAMBIT**: "Remy LeBeau, cherie."

Gambit takes Rogue gently by her hand and smiles.

**GAMBIT**: "You can call me Gambit."

Gambit kisses Rogue's hand and Rogue steps back. Bobby quickly puts his arm around Rogue and he gives Gambit a grim look.

**BOBBY**: "Our headmasters are away on business. You can speak to one of the teachers about enrolling."

**GAMBIT**: "Lemme guess. You must be..."

**BOBBY**: (interrupts) "Her boyfriend."

**GAMBIT**: "Then why ain't you smiling? Anyone that has a girl lovely as that on his arm wouldn't have that smile leave his face for a second, mon ami."

**WARREN**: "I see we have a guest."

Bobby, Rogue and Gambit turn around to look at Warren. Gambit raises his eyebrows.

**GAMBIT**: "My name's Remy. I came to enroll here, if you'll welcome me in."

**WARREN**: "Of course. Let me show you around and get you settled in. Bobby, let the other students know I'll be a little late for class."

**BOBBY**: "Yes, sir."

**WARREN**: "This way, please, Remy."

Gambit nods and follows Warren down the hall. Rogue takes Bobby's hand off her shoulder and looks at him sternly.

**ROGUE**: "What the hell was that?"

**BOBBY**: "What?"

**ROGUE**: "That macho 'I'm her boyfriend' routine."

**BOBBY**: "Oh, come on! You saw the way he was looking at you!"

**ROGUE**: "Yeah, he was! Why weren't you?"

Rogue turns and walks off down the other end of the hall.

**BOBBY**: "Rogue..."

Rogue ignores him and continues down the hall. Bobby watches Rogue walk off and then he turns away, frustrated. The doorbell rings and Bobby looks at the doorway. Bobby walks to the door and opens it. Alex and Lorna stand outside and they glance at Bobby.

**BOBBY**: "Can I help you?"

**ALEX**: "My name is Alex and this is my fiancee, Lorna Dane. I was wondering if we could talk to someone around here that knew my brother when he was here."

**BOBBY**: "Who is your brother?"

**ALEX**: "Scott Summers."

Bobby raises his eyebrows at Alex, stunned.


	9. Chapter 9 Catching up

In Washington D.C., the PRESIDENT - late-50s with gray hair - sits at a large round table at a board room in a building. He is seated with seven SENATORS and BOLIVAR TRASK - mid-40s, African-American and bald. Each man is wearing a business suit with tie. A vacant chair is at the table. The President turns to a SECRETARY standing at the side of the room.

**PRESIDENT**: "Where's Hank? Have you seen him around?"

**SECRETARY**: "He said he was on his way, Mr. President."

The back door of the room opens and HANK MCCOY, a.k.a. BEAST, walks into the room. Hank is mid-40s with blue fur over his skin and he looks more like an animal than a man.

**BEAST**: "Forgive me for being so later, Mr. President. I was busy talking to one of our contacts in Genosha."

**PRESIDENT**: "That's all right, Hank. Please, sit down."

Beast sits down on a vacant chair and looks at the President, puzzled.

**BEAST**: "You sounded so serious in your voice message. What's so urgent?"

**PRESIDENT**: "We have just received word of a mutant attack in Canada. Ten staff members were killed in the new Alkali Lake hospital and a mutant patient was abducted from his room."

**BEAST**: "Good lord. Do you know who was responsible for the attacks?"

**PRESIDENT**: "No. The video footage to the hospital was destroyed. We did, however, manage to get the name of the mutant they took with them. But this may be a bit of a shock for you, Hank."

**BEAST**: "For me? Do I know him?"

**PRESIDENT**: "Yes, I'm afraid you do."

The President hands a file to Beast and he opens it. Beast looks at the papers inside and pauses. Beast looks at one of the papers, stunned. Beast looks up at the President.

**BEAST**: "Oh, my stars and garters."

* * *

Back in the X-Mansion, Bobby stands in a large guest bedroom, with two beds set in the room. Alex sits on one bed and Lorna sits beside him. 

**BOBBY**: "I hope this room is comfortable enough for you both."

**LORNA**: "It's fine, thank you. We appreciate you all letting us stay here for a while, Bobby."

**ALEX**: "How long have you been a student here?"

**BOBBY**: "A few years now."

**ALEX**: "If I may ask... how well did you know my brother?"

**BOBBY**: "I knew him pretty well. He was a good teacher, very serious. He was in love with one of the teachers here, Dr. Jean Grey. She died a few days after he did."

**ALEX**: "I'm sorry to hear that." (beat) "Look, I know this is probably still pretty painful for you guys to talk about Scott. But I've been looking for him for about eighteen years now. We've were separated after that accident when our plane crashed. I lost my parents from the accident. I want to know why I lost track of my brother and why he never went looking for me."

**BOBBY**: "No offense, Mr. Summers, but if you hadn't shown me your ID at the door, I wouldn't have even believed you were his brother."

**ALEX**: "What do you mean by that?"

**BOBBY**: "Sir, Scott never went looking for you because he said you were dead."

Alex and Lorna look at Bobby in shock.

**LORNA**: "What? That's what he told you?"

**BOBBY**: "He had a picture of you with him and your parents in his wallet. He was told you were dead by the doctor at the hospital and by Mr. Essex, the man who ran the orphanage he stayed in."

**ALEX**: "I don't get it. The doctor told me Scott was never found at the accident, that he must have gotten lost in the crash."

**LORNA**: "I don't understand. Why would the doctor tell you something like that?"

Alex sneers and makes his hands into fists.

**ALEX**: "Why, indeed."

* * *

Meanwhile, Carol sits at her desk at the side wall of her own room. Carol looks down at one of the papers on her desk and looks over at the answer book next to it. There is a knock on her door.

**CAROL**: "It's open."

The door opens and Warren steps into the room. Carol turns around and looks over at him.

**CAROL**: "Hello, Warren. Please, come in."

Warren nods and walks to Carol, standing next to her.

**WARREN**: "Hello. How was your first day here?"

**CAROL**: "Class was fine, thanks. I heard we had a new recruit join the school."

**WARREN**: "Yes, we did. I just got Remy set up in his new room and got him some new clothes, since he didn't arrive with any belongings. He starts class tomorrow."

**CAROL**: "Is he a runaway?"

**WARREN**: "Remy's been on his own for the past few months. He said he dropped out of college when the students found out about his power. Now he has a school to go to where he can be accepted."

**CAROL**: "We all know how hard it can be. I remember how hard it was when I first learned I was a mutant."

Carol slowly rises up and levitates a few feet off of the ground and looks down at herself.

**CAROL**: "I awoke from a nightmare one night and found myself like this with my face pressed against the ceiling. After all, not every girl in my neighborhood could fly by controlling their mass and will oneself to become lighter than air."

Warren grins, as Carol lowers back down to the floor.

**WARREN**: "Yes. Miss Munroe gave me your file before you left. She said you also have enhanced strength and that you're virtually invulnerable."

**CAROL**: "Yes, I am. I'm strong enough to hoist a tank over my head and as for my invulnerability, my skin is so thick, armor-piercing rounds can't penetrate it."

Carol walks to Warren and stands before him.

**CAROL**: "Well, now that this little recap is finished, I'd like to get a bite to eat. If you'd like, you can join me."

Warren smiles and nods. Warren's cell phone rings and he pauses, looking down at his pants pocket. Warren takes out his cell phone and opens it, putting it to his ear.

**WARREN**: "Hello?" (beat) "Hank. It's so good to hear from you. How are you?" (beat) "What?" (beat) "No, they're not here right now."

Warren pauses a moment, listening. Warren nods and turns away.

**WARREN**: "All right. We'll see you here tomorrow, then." (beat) "Good bye."

Warren hangs up his cell phone, puts it back in his pocket and then he turns back to Carol.

**CAROL**: "Who was that?"

**WARREN**: "That was a friend of mine. He's coming by the school tomorrow."

**CAROL**: "What about?"

**WARREN**: "I don't know. He sounded so serious on the phone. It must be something pretty important to bring him back here."

* * *

In the storage room in Essex's hideout, Scott still lies on the table and his eyes remain shut tight. Scott struggles against his bonds, trying to get loose. Essex walks into the room, holding a McDonald's bag in one hand and a large cup in the other. A box is held under his arm. SCOTT GRUNTS as he futilely struggles to get loose. Essex looks at Scott and shakes his head.

**ESSEX**: "Still struggling. Don't bother. I made the restraints too thick for you to get out of them."

Essex walks to Scott's table and sets down the bag and cup on a nearby desk.

**ESSEX**: "You shouldn't be so eager to get away of me. I'm only looking out for your best interests."

Essex takes the box out from under his arm, opens it and pulls out a pair of glasses with red ruby quartz lenses. Essex walks to Scott and puts the glasses on his face.

**ESSEX**: "There. Open your eyes. Let me know what you think."

Scott turns to Essex and opens his eyes. Scott looks at Essex and he grins at Scott.

**ESSEX**: "It's good to see you again."

**SCOTT**: "I can't say the same."

**ESSEX**: "Don't get upset. You just don't understand my intentions."

**SCOTT**: "What is this all about?"

**ESSEX**: "Sorry, Scott. I'm not going to ruin the surprise. Just relax and enjoy the dinner I've gotten for you. I do hope you don't mind the food I selected for you. It's not like I could exactly bake something for you here."

**SCOTT**: "You can't keep me here forever, Essex. My friends are probably looking for me right now. It's just a matter of time before I get out of here."

Essex looks at Scott, raises an eyebrow and grins. ESSEX CHUCKLES, a bit amused.

**SCOTT**: "What's so funny?"

**ESSEX**: "Oh, I'm sorry, Scott. I completely forgot to tell you. Your friends won't be looking for you at all, because people don't look for buried men."

**SCOTT**: "What do you mean?"

**ESSEX**: "Your friends think you're _dead_, Scott. There's a grave for you at the Xavier School, right between Jean Grey and Charles Xavier."

**SCOTT**: "Now I _know_ you're lying. The Professor is not dead and Jean's certainly not dead. I saw her at Alkali Lake."

**ESSEX**: "Scott, Jean and the Professor have been dead for nearly two weeks now."

Essex holds up a newspaper and shows it to Scott.

**ESSEX**: "Here. I can prove it."

Essex holds up the newspaper and shows him the Obituaries section. A circle made of black marker is made around Jean's name. Scott's stern expression fades.

**ESSEX**: "I am truly sorry you have to see this, Scott. I read how close you were to both of them."

Scott turns his head aside, tensing.

**SCOTT**: "No."

Scott jerks against his restraints, struggling to get loose.

**SCOTT**: (snaps) "_No!_ _You must be lying!_ _You HAVE to be!!_ _They're not dead!!!_"

Essex frowns as he watches Scott struggle to get loose. Scott's trying his best not to cry.

**ESSEX**: "I think I'll come back later when you've calmed down." (beat) "I am truly sorry for your loss, Scott. Both of them."

Essex turns and walks out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Scott continues to struggle for a few seconds. Scott finally stops and turns his head aside. Scott begins to SOB.


	10. Chapter 10 Bad dreams

Late at night, in a hotel room on Muir Island, Storm lies asleep on one bed, wearing a nightgown and covered over by a blanket. Logan lies asleep on another bed, shirtless and wearing sweat pants. Logan tosses onto one side on his bed, tensing.

**LOGAN**: (in dream) "Come on, you guys! Let's move it or we'll blow this mission!"

* * *

Logan dreams of the past, in a security center of some sort of military compound. Logan runs down the hall, holding a laser gun in his hands. Two other soldiers run down the nearby hall and join him. Logan and the soldiers are wearing black leather uniforms with golden security badges and helmets. Logan looks at one of the soldiers, a YOUNG CAROL DANVERS, now early-20s.

**LOGAN**: "Come on, rookies! Tell me you've taken care of the security systems!"

**CAROL**: "The systems are down and the Guards have been dealt with. However, we've lost track of our back-up team."

**OMEGA RED**: "Do you mean them?"

Logan, Carol and the other soldier turn around and look down the far end of the hall. Omega Red stands before an open doorway, with two soldiers wrapped in each of his coils and dangling lifelessly.

**OMEGA RED**: "They were just the appetizers. I want the main course."

**LOGAN**: "You want us? You're gonna have to get us, squid lips."

Omega Red's coils unwrap from the soldiers and they fall to the floor, dead. Omega Red sneers at Logan, his coils writhing with a life of their own.

**OMEGA RED**: "As you wish, little man."

Logan glares and he throws his gun away.

**SOLDIER**: "What're you doing?!? Are you crazy?!?"

**LOGAN**: "Guns don't hurt this guy, kid. But I can."

Logan runs down the hall in anger and Carol steps forward.

**CAROL**: "Logan, wait!"

Omega Red lashes his coils forward and they extend out in length, reaching for Logan. Logan rolls under the coils, missing them and Logan leaps at Omega Red as he ROARS with a berserker rage.

**STORM**: "Logan?"

* * *

Back in the hotel room, now at dawn, Logan's eyes shoot open and he wakes up in his bed. Logan turns and sees Storm standing by his bed, wearing a robe over her nightgown. 

**STORM**: "Are you all right?"

**LOGAN**: "What is it?"

**STORM**: "It's time to get up. We need to pick up the Professor from the hospital, remember?"

Logan pauses a moment and nods, gruffly taking his blanket off of him.

**LOGAN**: "Right."

* * *

At dawn, in the storage room of Essex's hideout, Scott tosses against his restraints in his sleep. Scott turns his head aside, tensing.

**CHRISTOPHER**: (in dream) "I know you're scared, Scott. It's all right to be scared. But I need you to be brave for me, son. For your sake and your brother's."

* * *

Scott's dream flashes back to the past, at night over a series of mountains. Young Scott, now 13, stands in the back of an airplane and wearing a parachute over his winter clothes. YOUNG ALEX, now 11, has his arms around Scott and he is fastened to Scott by duct tape wrapped around their waists. Standing before them is their late-30s father, CHRISTOPHER SUMMERS. Christopher wipes the tears from Scott's eyes and then wipes the tears from Alex's eyes. KATHERINE SUMMERS - late-30s with brunette hair - stands before her boys and sadly smiles, fighting back tears.

**CHRISTOPHER**: "You're going to have to be there for each other, Scott. I'm sorry we have to say goodbye like this, but we'll always be with you." (smiles) "I've always been so proud of you both."

**KATHERINE**: "We love you both so much. I wish we had more time."

**CHRISTOPHER**: (sighs) "You have to jump now, Scott. You have to go away."

Young Scott shakes his head, tears forming in his eyes. Young Alex holds onto Scott tightly, sobbing.

**YOUNG SCOTT**: "Dad..."

**CHRISTOPHER**: "Don't be sad, son. You'll be okay."

Christopher walks with his sons to the open doorway of the plane. Christopher puts his hand on Scott's shoulder and Scott shakes his head.

**YOUNG SCOTT**: (voice breaks up) "Don't do this."

Christopher forces a sad smile.

**CHRISTOPHER**: "Goodbye."

Young Scott looks in sad realization and Christopher sadly nudges Scott out, watching him and Alex descend out of the airplane. Katherine stands next to Christopher and drapes her arm around her husband, silently sobbing. The two watch as the parachute opens and then they look in horror.

**KATHERINE**: "Oh, God!"

* * *

Outside, young Scott and Alex parachute down and away from the burning airplane in the sky. Scott looks down at his brother sadly, forcing his best brave face. 

**YOUNG SCOTT**: "Hold on tight, Alex. I have you."

**YOUNG ALEX**: (sniffs) "Scott... what's that smell?"

Young Scott looks up and sees smoke rising from the parachute. The parachute is slowly being eaten through by fire.

**YOUNG SCOTT**: "Oh, God! Oh, no! NO!!"

**YOUNG ALEX**: "FIRE!!"

Young Scott looks ahead and tries to steer them to a nearby mountain.

**YOUNG SCOTT**: "Hold on, Alex! If I can just reach the mountain..."

Young Scott tries to keep the parachute steady, as it nears the mountain. The two get closer to the mountain than either expects and Scott struggles to keep control. The two boys are only a few dozen feet above the ground, when Scott turns away as they near the mountainside. Shielding Alex away, Scott collides against the mountain instead and SCOTT GRUNTS as his head hits against the mountain... hard.

**YOUNG ALEX**: "_Scott!!_"

Young Scott and Alex lower down and Scott starts to pass out. As young Scott narrows his eyes, losing consciousness...

* * *

The dream flashes to another point in the past, but this time it's just mere weeks ago -- at Alkali Lake.

Scott stands on the rocky ground, unshaven and without his ruby glasses. His eyes are blue and completely normal. JEAN GREY - 30 years old with red hair and wearing an X-Men uniform - stands before Scott and they kiss. After a few seconds, Jean's expression changes, getting colder, as if snapped into a different persona. As Jean kisses Scott, his normal eyes open wide in shock as dark veins rise on his face and Jean's face. Scott's body shivers in shock from the kiss as a fiery aura shines around Jean. The kiss blisters the skin around Scott's lower face and his lips, slowly singing it. The fire singes his face and the heat from Jean's lips burns his lips. SCOTT SCREAMS, startled, as the heat of the kiss burns into his mouth and down within his throat. Scott's SCREAM makes Jean blink and open her eyes wide, startled, as if waking from a dream. Jean realizes what's happening just as Scott's eyes glow with red energy again. Jean has only a split second to put up a telekinetic shield, just as the red energy beam flows uncontrollably from Scott's eyes.

BOOM!!! The collision knocks both of them backwards, with Jean slammed backwards as if struck by the force of a freight train. Jean falls down onto the rocky floor and is rendered unconscious. As Jean is knocked down, Scott eyes shut tight and Jean's telekinesis still shoves him away from Jean, sending him flying backwards into the woods.

Scott is sent flying backwards farther and farther from the lake, with his eyes still shut tight. Scott is sent flying a few miles away from the lake, when the telekinesis finally reaches its limit in reach and Scott is knocked backwards. He is sent falling onto the rocky ground and lands hard on his back. His clothes are a bit cut and burned from the heat of Jean's fiery aura and blood trickles from his mouth. Scott is barely conscious and dim smoke rises from his chest and face.

**SCOTT**: (weakly) "Jean..."

Scott loses consciousness and everything fades to BLACK.

* * *

SCOTT GASPS as he awakens, startled from the nightmare of his past memories. He's still restrained on the table in Essex's storage room. Scott pauses for a moment, calming down. There is a beat, all is quiet. His breathing returns to normal. After a few moments, Scott sadly looks away and again starts to cry. 


	11. Chapter 11 Homecoming

At 8 A.M., students walk by in the main hall of the X-Mansion to get to class. Rogue walks down the hall, holding textbooks under her arms. The sound of the doorbell catches Rogue's attention. 

**ROGUE**: "I'll get it."

As students walk by, they glance at Rogue coldly, but she ignores them and walks to the main doors. Rogue opens the doors and looks ahead in shock. Rogue steps back and stares, tears welling up in her eyes. Xavier is seated in a wheelchair, wearing a business suit. Moira stands behind Xavier, holding the handle bars on the back of his wheelchair. Xavier looks at Rogue with a soft smile.

**ROGUE**: (whispers) "Professor?"

**XAVIER**: "Hello, Rogue."

Moira wheels Xavier into the room and stops it before Rogue. Rogue hugs Xavier, which startles him. Rogue kisses Xavier's cheek and holds him close to her.

**ROGUE**: "I... I thought you were..."

**XAVIER**: (interrupts) "It's good to see you again, too."

Xavier ends the hug and looks at Rogue, puzzled.

**XAVIER**: "Your touch..."

**STORM**: "Rogue took the cure."

Xavier turns around and Rogue looks up, as Storm and Logan walk into the room, wearing normal clothes. Storm stands beside Moira and Storm looks at Rogue sternly, a bit coldly.

**STORM**: "She went off to a clinic to take it while we were fighting at Alcatraz."

Xavier looks at Rogue, noticing her hurt expression. Xavier holds Rogue's hand and she looks at him, as he eyes her softly.

**XAVIER**: "We all make choices we think are for the best. The ones we think are right aren't always the easiest ones to make."

Rogue smiles at Xavier and Logan rolls his eyes.

**LOGAN**: "And we've come back to the cornball dialogue."

**ROGUE**: "I'd love to catch up with you. There's so much to talk about. But I have to get to class."

**XAVIER**: "We'll make time later, I promise you. I'll see you later, Rogue."

Rogue nods and walks off down the hallway. Xavier watches Rogue leave, while Beast approaches the open doorway from outside.

**BEAST**: "Am I interrupting?"

Logan and Storm turn around, as Beast walks up to them.

**STORM**: "Hank? What're you doing here?"

**XAVIER**: "Come on in, Hank."

Moira turns Xavier's wheelchair around and Beast sees him for the first time. Beast steps back, stunned.

**XAVIER**: "Welcome back."

**BEAST**: (beat) "Charles?"

**XAVIER**: "I'm sorry. I know this must be a shock."

Beast shakes his head and walks over to Xavier.

**BEAST**: (sighs) "Well, I've already found another of my friends isn't really dead. I guess I have to get used to expecting the unexpected."

**LOGAN**: "What do you mean by that? I thought you were supposed to be busy in Washington as some new big mutant ambassador or something."

**BEAST**: "I am, but I've learned of something that concerns all of us. We need to talk."

**XAVIER**: "Very well. Let's go in my office."

Beast nods and follows Moira, Xavier, Logan and Storm down the hall. As they walk down the hall, several students passing by stop in their tracks and stare at Xavier in shock. Among the stunned students passing through are Bobby, Piotr and Kitty. Kitty stares ahead with tears in her eyes and Piotr stands beside her, setting his hand on her shoulder as he eyes Xavier in equal shock.

**KITTY**: "Professor?"

* * *

In Xavier's office, Xavier is at his desk, with Moira standing beside him. Storm and Beast sit on a couch nearby, while Logan sits on a nearby chair. Beast looks at Xavier, stunned. Logan folds his arms over his chest, as Xavier grins at Beast.

**BEAST**: "Forgive me, Professor. It's still a bit of a shock."

**LOGAN**: "It's a shock to them, too."

Xavier, Beast and Storm look at the doorway. Almost every student in the school must be in the hall, staring into the room at Xavier. Logan rises from his seat and walks to the door.

**LOGAN**: "Yeah, yeah. He's alive and back in school. Now, go on back to class. He'll still be here when school's over."

Logan shuts the door and turns back to Beast.

**LOGAN**: "You had something to say, furball. It must have been pretty important for you to come all the way down here."

**BEAST**: "It is. I learned of a report of a mutant attack in Canada. Two days ago, some staff members in the hospital's top floor were killed by unknown individuals and a mutant patient was abducted from his bed."

**STORM**: "A mutant patient?"

BEAST: "He was found ten miles into the woods at Alkali Lake, close to where Jean was found. The lower half of his face was singed and his throat was damaged. He did, however, manage to tell them his name." (sighs) "Sir...It's Scott."

The others look at Beast, stunned.

**XAVIER**: "What?"

**LOGAN**: "That's not possible. Jean killed him at Alkali Lake."

**BEAST**: "Apparently not. He was almost dead when they found him. When he came to, he reportedly grew nervous when his doctor tried to look at his eyes. After they did, he shoved a nurse and the doctor out of the way and punched a hole through the roof of the hospital."

The door silently opens behind them and Alex and Lorna step into the room. Xavier looks away from Beast, stunned.

**LOGAN**: "Well, that certainly sounds like Scott's style. But even if it was him, how could Scott have survived?"

Xavier looks at the doorway, as Alex and Lorna look stunned at Logan.

**ALEX**: "Scott is alive?"

The others stop and look over at Alex and Lorna.

**XAVIER**: "Can we help you?"

**ALEX**: "I hope so. You can tell me what you know about my brother, Scott."

Xavier looks at Alex in shock.

**LOGAN**: "Brother?"

* * *

In Miss Danvers' classroom, Carol sits behind her desk and holds a textbook in her hands. The students seated at their desks - including Rogue, Bobby and Kitty - look at Carol, with their own textbooks opened and set on their desks.

**CAROL**: "All right, class. Now, we're going to do a quiz over what we learned in Chapter Five."

Carol picks up several sheets of paper from her desk and holds them up. Carol looks at a seated student at a nearby desk, AUTUMN ROLFSON - 18 years old with long black hair.

**CAROL**: "Autumn, would you please pass out the quiz sheets for me?"

Autumn nods and rises from her seat. Carol walks to the blackboard, picks up a piece of chalk and starts to write on it. Autumn walks to Carol and takes the papers from her hand. Autumn walks to each desk and hands each student a sheet of paper. Autumn walks to Rogue and hands her a quiz sheet. As Rogue takes the sheet of paper, she notices Autumn sneering at her. Autumn walks off to pass out the papers. Rogue looks at her paper and notices a post-it note on the front of it, which reads: _TRAITOR_. Carol continues to write on the blackboard, writing _TONIGHT'S ASSIGNMENT: READ SECTIONS ONE TO THREE OF CHAPTER SIX_. Rogue takes the post-it note off the paper and crumples it in her hands. Carol stops and looks at Rogue.

**CAROL**: "Rogue? Is everything all right?"

**ROGUE**: "Yes, ma'am."

Carol walks over to Rogue and stands beside her.

**CAROL**: "What's in your hand?"

**ROGUE**: "Just some trash."

**CAROL**: (sighs) "Give it to me, please."

ROGUE SIGHS, pauses and hands Carol the crumpled post-it. Carol opens the post-it and looks at it. Carol pauses and looks up at Autumn, as she passes out the last quiz page to Kitty.

**CAROL**: "Autumn?"

Autumn turns and looks up at Carol. Carol holds up the post-it to her.

**CAROL**: "Did you post this on Rogue's quiz paper?"

**AUTUMN**: (beat) "Yes, ma'am."

Carol looks up and around the class.

**CAROL**: "I admit I've only been a teacher here since yesterday and I have yet to know the whole story of what has been going on around here. But I expect each student I work with to be courteous and respectful to each other. There has been a cruelty shown to this young woman for some time before I got here. That cruelty stops, here and now."

Bobby looks at Carol a moment and looks away. Kitty notices Bobby's grim look and looks at Carol, puzzled.

**CAROL**: "If anyone shows any more notes like this in my class or does anything to this girl and I hear about, that person will answer to me."

Autumn rolls her eyes.

**AUTUMN**: "It was just a little note."

Carol looks at Autumn and approaches her.

**CAROL**: "And that 'little note' just got you detention and an extra assignment. This is a school of tolerance, Miss Rolfson. I suggest you and the other students remember that."

Autumn sneers and Carol walks back to her desk.

* * *

Back in Xavier's office, Lorna and Alex sit on the other couch on the other side of the room, as Logan, Storm, Beast, Xavier and Moira look on.

**ALEX**: "And when I read about Scott's obituary in the paper, I came down here to find anyone who knew him. After all that time looking for him, I wanted to get to know what he was like. And since I thought he was dead, I was hoping anyone here could tell me what he was like."

**STORM**: "So while Scott has been here, what have you been doing the last eighteen years? He thought you were dead."

**ALEX**: "Well, I was put in an orphanage after I got out of the hospital. I grew up with a set of foster parents up until I turned sixteen."

**MOIRA**: "What happened?"

**ALEX**: "I had developed a pain in my hands when I turned fifteen. The doctors didn't know what was wrong with me and no medication helped me. Then one day, early in my junior year of high school, some guy tried to carjack me. We got into a struggle and I knocked him off of me... with these."

Alex's hands glow with dim red energy.

**ALEX**: "I kept it a secret and after graduation, I got a job working as a guard in a security agency. That's where I met Lorna."

Alex's hands stop glowing, as Logan looks over at Lorna.

**LOGAN**: "And what can you do?"

Lorna grins and motions her head at the desk. All of the metal objects on it, from paper clips to the stapler, slowly levitate off of the desk and spin around slowly in a circle. After a moment, the objects lower back down.

**LORNA**: "Magnetic manipulation. I can move metal objects, generate force fields and levitate off of the ground."

**ALEX**: "So that's my story. Care to tell me what this matter is with my brother?"

**BEAST**: "It seems that your brother is actually alive and well, Alex. He was recovering at a hospital in Canada and was abducted two days ago."

**ALEX**: "Who abducted him?"

**BEAST**: (sighs) "I don't know yet."

Logan turns to Xavier.

**LOGAN**: "What do you think, Charlie? You think Scott could have survived?"

**XAVIER**: "It's possible. While we never found Scott's body, it doesn't mean he was disintegrated into ashes."

**ALEX**: "Whoa, hold on a minute. You want to run that by me again?"

**LOGAN**: "Nope. That's a long recap for another time, bub." (turns to Xavier) "Do you think we should check it out?"

**XAVIER**: "There's only one way we can be sure. Logan, you can detect the scent of anyone. I want you to take the Blackbird with Alex and Lorna and go to the hospital where he was sighted. If Scott was in there, see if you can still get a trace of his scent."

Logan nods and looks over at Alex and Lorna.

**LOGAN**: "Come on, kiddies. We're going on a road trip."


	12. Chapter 12 The chat

Back in Essex's hideout, the door to an empty office opens and Sage walks into the room, with Omega Red following her in. Sage and Omega Red stop, as they see a shadowy figure standing at the back wall of the room, his arms folded over his chest.

**VOICE**: "I see you've returned. Welcome back, Omega Red."

**OMEGA RED**: "I see you've been busy while I was away, my lord."

**VOICE**: "Yes, I have. Essex is getting the last of the equipment now. Soon, the machines will finally be rebuilt."

**SAGE**: "Have you selected the remaining three mutants for your group?"

**VOICE**: "I have. I will have my selections here soon in due time, my dear."

The shadowy figure steps forward into the light, showing the VOICE belongs to APOCALYPSE - looking late-40s, as muscular as a bodybuilder and with pale gray skin. Apocalypse has red eyes and is wearing a black armored suit.

**APOCALYPSE**: "It has taken me years to finally prepare for this moment. I must make sure everything is be ready once I make my move."

* * *

Back in Alkali Lake, in the hall of the top floor, doctors and nurses continue work as usual. Down the hall, the doors to Scott's former patient room have police caution tape taped over the open doorway. The elevator doors open and Logan walks out into the main hall, with Alex and Lorna, who is now wearing her wig again. The three walk down the hall and towards a DOCTOR. 

**LORNA**: "Excuse me?"

**DOCTOR**: "Can I help you?"

**ALEX**: "Yes, we're here to visit the room where the attack took place."

**DOCTOR**: "I'm sorry, but you can't go in there. It's been restricted for the authorities only."

Lorna takes her badge out of her jeans pocket and holds it up to the Doctor.

**LORNA**: "Sir, we are the authorities. We're here to do a quick check in the room and then we'll be gone."

The Doctor looks at them a moment and then points down the hall.

**DOCTOR**: "Down the hallway, the last room on the left side."

* * *

Alex and Lorna duck under the caution tape as they walk into the patient room. The room has fresh stains of blood on the side walls. The two look around, as Logan walks down the hall to the room. Logan stops walking and pauses, stunned. Logan sniffs the air. 

**ALEX**: "What is it?"

Logan ducks under the caution tape and enters the room. Logan sniffs the air and walks to the bed. Logan sniffs the vacant bed and looks up at the ceiling, noticing the boarded up hole in the roof.

**ALEX**: "Is it Scott?"

Logan pauses and then he turns to Alex.

**LOGAN**: "Hank was right, kid. Your brother is alive."

* * *

Back in the X-Mansion, Logan, Lorna and Alex sit on chairs before Xavier's desk. 

**LOGAN**: "I picked up two scents I never smelled before with Scott's at the hospital, one male and one female. The scents were faint, but I followed them down the hall to the other elevator. The trail led outside to a van and down to an exit road. That's where the scents went cold."

**ALEX**: "Now that we know my brother's alive, how do we find him? Who would want to abduct him?"

**XAVIER**: "I don't know, Alex. But I promise you we will do everything we can to find your brother."

**CAROL** (O. C.): "Excuse me? Are you Professor Xavier?"

Xavier looks up, as Carol stands in the doorway. Lorna, Alex and Logan also turn around to face her.

**CAROL**: "I was told you arrived at the school from the..."

Carol stops as she looks at Logan. Carol stares at Logan, stunned, and he looks at her in confusion.

**CAROL**: "Logan?"

**LOGAN**: "Yeah. Who're you?"

**CAROL**: "Don't you recognize me?"

Logan looks at Carol a moment and then he rises from his seat, looking at Carol in confusion.

**LOGAN**: "Carol?"

**XAVIER**: "You know each other?"

Carol walks into the room and stands before Logan. She looks at Logan in confusion.

**CAROL**: "After all these years, we didn't know where you had..." (beat) "You really don't remember me, do you?"

Logan pauses for a moment, trying to figure it out. After a few seconds, Logan finally shakes his head at her.

**LOGAN**: "I'm not sure. I know you, but..." (beat) "I don't know how."

**CAROL**: "I can explain if you'll let me. Do you have the time?"

Logan turns to Xavier.

**XAVIER**: "It's all right, Logan. Go on." (beat) "We'll have our own talk later if you'd like, Miss Danvers. Welcome to the school."

Carol smiles and nods at Xavier.

* * *

Meanwhile, later that night in Essex's hideout, Apocalypse stands in the large construction room and he folds his arms over his chest. A large machine, with a large power battery fastened to the back of it, stands before the back wall. Various tubes hooked up to the machine hang over a propped-up table a few feet before it. The windows of the room are shut and covered over by boards. Apocalypse turns around, as the doors open. Essex walks into the room, holding a briefcase in his hand, and he stands before Apocalypse. 

**APOCALYPSE**: "Do you have all of the remaining parts?"

Essex shakes his head and sets down the briefcase.

**ESSEX**: "Almost. I am waiting for the last three parts to be constructed."

**APOCALYPSE**: "When will they be ready?"

**ESSEX**: "In about two weeks. However, I have heard from our contact at the Xavier School."

**APOCALYPSE**: "And how is our little informant doing?"

**ESSEX**: "I'm supposed to go down there tonight and talk to our little minion. It seems something big has happened at the school."

Apocalypse looks at Essex and grins.

**APOCALYPSE**: "Interesting."

* * *

In the X-Mansion, Logan sits next to Carol on his bed in his bedroom, looking at her in confusion. 

**LOGAN**: "I was in the C.I.A.?"

**CAROL**: "You were with our group for a good ten years before I even arrived. When I joined, you were in charge of our division, going on missions too dangerous for humans to handle."

Logan raises his eyebrow, puzzled.

**LOGAN**: "Wait a second. I led a government team of mutant agents?"

**CAROL**: "We stopped a lot of illegal projects over the years, Logan. We were on several missions over the last two years, stopping threats all over the world. China, Canada, Russia..."

Logan pauses, tensing after he hears Russia.

**LOGAN**: "The security compound."

Carol pauses and looks at Logan.

**CAROL**: "You do remember."

**LOGAN**: "No." (beat) "Sort of. It's hard to explain. I keep getting weird flashes in my head of something... nothing..." (beat) "I saw a man in one. Some weird albino guy with tentacles sticking out of his wrists."

Carol nods at Logan.

**CAROL**: "Omega Red."

Logan looks at her in confusion.

**LOGAN**: "What is he?"

**CAROL**: "His name is Arkady Rossovich. He's a mutant with metal coils that emanate from his forearms. He uses them to drain off the life force of others when he ensnares them. Its effects afterwards leave his victims weakened, sick and, if held too long, he kills them. The metal around his coils is an alloy called carbonadium, a substitute to adamantium that's virtually indestructible. He also has a healing factor that allows him to heal from fatal wounds in seconds like you."

**LOGAN**: "I don't remember any of that. How did we meet him?"

**CAROL**: "A double agent of ours infiltrated the compound and found out about Omega Red. We were there to save the agent when Omega Red discovered him at the compound. You took him on alone and barely stopped him."

**LOGAN**: "How?"

**CAROL**: "Omega Red is only vulnerable to telepathy and extreme cold. You knocked him into a vat of nitro glycerin and froze him alive. We left him in a cryogenic chamber in a Russian government security compound. Stopping him was our last mission in Russia."

**LOGAN**: "What happened after that?"

**CAROL**: "Last I heard, you were assigned to join with Colonel William Stryker at his base in Alkali Lake. We lost track of you after the incident involving your adamantium surgery." (beat) "It's good to see you again, Logan."

Logan looks away and shakes his head.

**LOGAN**: "I really wish I could say the same."


	13. Chapter 13 Famished

In the X-mansion, Xavier sits at his desk in his office and he is looking at the files already set on his desk. A tray of food - a sandwich cut in half, a glass of milk, a bowl of salad - is set before Xavier, with Moira standing beside him. Beast sits on a chair before Xavier's desk, with his own tray of food set before him. Beast sips his glass of milk and then sets it down, as he picks up a folder. 

**MOIRA**: "Charles, you've been working for the past two hours. You need to take a break and eat."

Xavier sets down his folder on the desk and turns to Moira with a soft smile.

**XAVIER**: "I know. I will, Moira. I just need a little more time to look over this report."

Warren stands in the open doorway, dressed in a turtleneck sweater and jeans.

**WARREN**: "What's going on? I thought you'd be with us at the teachers' lounge for lunch."

**BEAST**: "We got sidetracked with another project. We're currently reviewing a report I was faxed of a possible mutant attack last week in Russia."

**WARREN**: "What happened?"

**XAVIER**: "We're not sure yet. Ten guards and a dozen more doctors were found in critical condition in some sort of restricted containment room in a security compound. They seemed to be completely drained of their strength, their very life force."

**WARREN**: "Why did they take so long to report it?"

**BEAST**: "Apparently, the Russian government didn't want anyone to find out about this. Whatever was contained there had them so scared that they didn't confide in anyone about it for security reasons."

Xavier suddenly pauses, puzzled. Moira looks at Xavier in concern and sets her hand down on his shoulder.

**MOIRA**: "Charles, what is it? Is something wrong?"

**XAVIER**: "Something's happening in the cafeteria."

Beast and Warren look at Xavier, confused.

* * *

A few dozen seated students occupy the X-Mansion's cafeteria, with some still in the lunch line in the next room. Autumn sits at one table with two teenage girls and a boy with dark hair. Bobby sits with Roberto and two other teenager boys, one of which has spiky blue hair. Piotr sits at a table with Kitty, an 18 year old boy with glasses - JONES - and an 18 year old Asian girl - JUBILEE. Rogue walks out of the next room, dressed in a tank top and jeans and holding a tray of food in her hands. Rogue notices a vacant seat at one table and walks to it. A GIRL seated at the table quickly sets a bag down on the chair.

**GIRL**: "This seat's taken."

Rogue turns and walks over to another table. A teenage BOY notices Rogue look at a vacant seat at his table and sets his backpack down in it. Rogue looks away, hurt, and looks around the room. Rogue walks down the room, when one student sticks his leg out before her and trips Rogue. Rogue falls to the ground and drops her tray, sending her food splattering on it and on the shoes of the approaching Storm. Some students smile smugly, others try not to laugh, as Rogue looks up and sees Storm standing before her, giving her a stern look.

**ROGUE**: "I'm sorry. I just --"

**STORM**: (interrupts) "I suggest pay more attention to where you're going, Rogue."

Rogue nods and picks up her tray of ruined food.

**ROGUE**: "Yes, ma'am."

**GAMBIT** (O. C.): "Cherie!"

Rogue turns and looks over at Gambit, seated at a table for two across the room. Rogue picks up her tray, stands and walks away from Storm. Storm watches Rogue leave and sneers at her. Nearby, Piotr and Kitty notice this and exchange puzzled looks. Storm walks down the room to the lunch line and Gambit stands up. He walks over to Rogue and takes the tray from her. Gambit dumps her ruined food in a nearby trash can and sets the tray on top of it. Gambit reaches into his pocket and holds up some money.

**GAMBIT**: "Here. You take a seat and take my lunch. I'll get back in line and get myself something else."

**ROGUE**: "I appreciate it, Remy, but I can't do that."

**GAMBIT**: "Yes, you can. It's all right. Now go on and sit. I'll be back in a minute. Hope you don't mind spicy fried chicken."

Gambit sets his hand on Rogue's shoulder and walks down the room. Rogue sits on a chair and looks at the tray of spicy fried chicken and a salad. Rogue smiles and takes the tray, sliding it to her. Autumn walks to Rogue from behind and stands behind her.

**AUTUMN**: "Are you all right? You don't look so good."

Autumn sets her bare hand down on Rogue's bare shoulder and white energy flows from Autumn's hand into Rogue's body. Rogue flinches, stunned, and Autumn grins.

**AUTUMN**: "Why, you look positively _famished_."

Gambit stands in the lunch line to the next room and turns to Rogue. Gambit's smile fades, as Rogue starts to twitch. ROGUE IS CHOKING, barely able to breathe. Rogue stiffens and her body writhes from the energy. Autumn smiles, as Gambit hurries out of line and down the room. Storm notices this from her own place in line and looks at Gambit. ROGUE GASPS for air as Autumn holds both of Rogue's shoulders with her hands and Rogue shuts her eyes tight. Rogue throws her head back, her mouth gaped open in a silent scream. Gambit gets to Autumn and grabs her wrists with his gloved hands. Autumn struggles and glares at Gambit.

**GAMBIT**: "_Stop it!! Let her go_!!"

Gambit pulls Autumn off of Rogue and she falls out of her chair. Rogue hits the ground, shaking, and Gambit shoves Autumn back from her. Kitty and Piotr rise from their seats and run over to Rogue, crouching beside her.

**GAMBIT**: "What's wrong with you?"

Autumn grabs Gambit's wrist and he flinches, as her hands shine with energy. Autumn grins at Gambit, but he picks up a poker card and it shines with energy. Gambit tosses the card at Autumn's chest and it detonates, the close-range blast shoving both backwards. Storm gets out of line and walks to Gambit. She looks angrily at him.

**STORM**: "What do you think you're doing, Remy?"

**GAMBIT**: "What? You've gotta be kidding me!"

**XAVIER** (O. C.): "Rogue?"

Xavier, Moira, Beast and Warren walk into the room and Beast runs over to Rogue. Rogue lies shivering on the ground, curled up in a ball. ROGUE COUGHS and her breathing is shallow and hard.

**BEAST**: "Kitty, Piotr, help me get Rogue to the clinic."

Piotr nods, as he and Kitty takes Rogue by her arms. The two lift up Rogue and follow Beast out of the room. Rogue is still GASPING as Piotr and Kitty help her out. Bobby rises from his seat, but the blue-haired boy sets his hand on his shoulder and stops him.

**BLUE HAIRED BOY**: "Forget her, man. They can take care of her."

**BOY**: "Yeah, she'll be okay."

Bobby looks at Rogue in concern and then he sits back down. Gambit notices Bobby sit down and he sneers, as he stands up.

**XAVIER**: "I'd like to see you all in my office immediately."

* * *

Xavier sits behind his desk in his office, with Moira and Warren standing beside him. Gambit and Autumn sit on seats before his desk, while Storm stands behind the two students, her arms folded over her chest.

**XAVIER**: "We've just had a disturbance in the cafeteria and one of my students has been rendered ill by Autumn's famishing touch."

**STORM**: "I think we should give them detention, sir. Maybe an extra assignment for the weekend to..."

**GAMBIT**: (interrupts) "Whoa, wait a minute. You're punishing me too?"

**STORM**: "You're partly responsible for what happened in there."

**GAMBIT**: "I gave Rogue my spare seat, my lunch and saved her from the touch of Starvin' Marvin here. How is this my fault?"

**STORM**: "You used your powers against a student in the cafeteria."

**GAMBIT**: "Somebody had to help Rogue out in there."

**STORM**: "What is that supposed to mean?"

**GAMBIT**: "It means it's pretty ironic to be lectured by the teacher who did nothing to help her student."

**XAVIER**: "Remy..."

Storm steps before Gambit, upset.

**STORM**: "Who do you think you are talking to me like that?"

**GAMBIT**: "I think I'm talking to the only teacher here who forgot this place teaches mutants and humans to co-exist, not to stand around and do nothing when one of them gets hurt!"

**XAVIER**: "That's _enough! Both_ of you!"

Gambit and Storm stop and turn to Xavier.

**XAVIER**: "Remy, you can go. You're dismissed."

**STORM**: "_What?_"

**XAVIER**: "Warren, take Miss Rolfson here to her room until I come up with a suitable punishment for what she's done. Moira, would you excuse us please? I need to talk to Storm alone for a moment."

**MOIRA**: "Of course."

Autumn and Gambit rise from their seats. Gambit walks out of the room and Warren walks with Autumn out of the room. Moira follows them out and shuts the door behind her. Storm stands before Xavier's desk.

**XAVIER**: "This isn't the first time you've been upset around Rogue. When I came back and she hugged me, your tone was quite upset when you said she had taken the cure."

**STORM**: "I don't hate Rogue, Professor."

**XAVIER**: "No, but I think you hate the choice she made. When the cure came out, you wondered what kind of coward would take the cure to change what they were. Rogue made a difficult decision by taking the cure."

**STORM**: "Did she?"

**XAVIER**: "Everyone lives their own life, Ororo. This change was her choice."

Storm looks away from Xavier, upset.

**STORM**: "She didn't need to change. There wasn't anything wrong with her."

Storm lowers her head and Xavier looks on in realization.

**STORM**: "I don't know why she didn't see that."

**XAVIER**: "You think you failed her, don't you? That's why you're so upset."

Storm pauses and turns to Xavier.

**STORM**: "We're supposed to teach these kids to accept who and what they are, Professor. I was the one assigned to teach Rogue with her studies, to help her come to terms with developing her mutant power."

Xavier leans back in his wheelchair and looks at Storm in concern.

**XAVIER**: "We've all done our best to teach Rogue and to be there for her when she needs our guidance. She may not have her powers, but she's still our student and still needs our support, Ororo. Are you still willing to give it to her?"

Storm pauses for a moment and looks away.

* * *

In the X-Mansion's lower level, Rogue lies on a bed in the clinic, with a blanket tucked over her. Rogue looks away, weak and pale.

**LOGAN**: "Hey, kid."

Rogue turns to her right and sees Logan standing in the open doorway. Logan walks into the room and the doors shut behind him. Logan sits on a chair next to Rogue.

**LOGAN**: "Moira filled me in on what happened. How are you feeling?"

Rogue looks at Logan a moment and lets out a weak smile.

**ROGUE**: (sighs) "Swell."

Logan half-grins.

LOGAN: "Moira's in the kitchen, making you some lunch. I just wanted to see how you were before I taught the next class."

ROGUE: "I appreciate you coming by, Logan. You and the Professor are the only ones who have so far."

LOGAN: "Huh. Thought your boyfriend would have tried to sneak down here by now before class starts."

Rogue pauses a moment and then turns her head aside.

**LOGAN**: "He's still been canceling plans with you, hasn't he?"

**ROGUE**: "He's just been busy, Logan. He hasn't had the time."

**LOGAN**: "He should've made time."

**ROGUE**: "I know you're concerned about me and I really appreciate it. But it's all right, really."

Logan looks at Rogue a moment and he sets his hand down on her shoulder.

**LOGAN**: "I've got to go back up and teach my next class. I'll check up on you later, kid."

Rogue nods and forces a smile.

**ROGUE**: "Okay. I'll see you later."

Logan rises from his seat, turns and walks out of the room. The doors slide closed behind him and Rogue weakly rolls over onto her side. Rogue shuts her eyes tight, trembling.

* * *

At 4:30 P.M., in the X-Mansion's living room, Piotr and Kitty sit beside one another at a table and each holds poker cards in their hands. Kitty glances at her cards and then looks up at Piotr.

**KITTY**: "What do you have, Pete?"

Piotr sets down his cards on the table face up, showing two jacks, a ten, an eight and a king.

**PIOTR**: "Two jacks. What do you have?"

Kitty smiles and sets down her cards on the table. She has four aces and a queen.

**KITTY**: "Four aces."

Piotr grins and takes the cards, shuffling them.

**PIOTR**: "That makes six games in a row you have won. Care to try again?"

**KITTY**: (shrugs) "Sure, why not? Seven always was my lucky number."

Kitty looks up and notices Bobby sitting at a nearby table for four, with the other seat vacant. Bobby is reading a History textbook.

**KITTY**: "Bobby?"

Bobby looks up and notices Kitty seated with Piotr.

**KITTY**: "What are you doing here?"

**BOBBY**: "I'm waiting for some friends. We're supposed to read Sections Two to Five of Chapter Eight."

**KITTY**: "Yeah, I know. I just thought that you'd be visiting Rogue."

**BOBBY**: "I can't see her now. I have to finish my work first."

**KITTY**: "It'll be here when you get back. She's missed you."

**BOBBY**: "I know. I'll check on her first chance I get."

**PIOTR**: "Do you not want to see her?"

Bobby looks up from his book and at Piotr, a bit irritated.

**BOBBY**: "I said I'm busy studying. And I don't remember asking your opinion, Pete."

**PIOTR**: "Katya has a point. Logan's already gone to see her. Katya and I have seen her. Remy's been sitting with her since class ended."

**BOBBY**: "Remy?"

**PIOTR**: "_Da._ Who do you think gave us the poker cards?"

Bobby looks away from Piotr and closes his book. Bobby pauses a moment and then rises from his seat.

* * *

In the X-Mansion's clinic, Gambit is seated on a chair next to Rogue's bed and he notices the tray set on a nearby table. Two empty bowls occupy the tray, as well as a plate with some crumbs scattered on it and an empty glass.

**GAMBIT**: "I heard Miss Danvers got you your lunch earlier. Three cans worth of tomato soup, two bags of potato chips, six tuna sandwiches and seven glasses of milk." (beat) "And yet you keep your girlish figure intact."

**ROGUE**: "I still feel exhausted, though. Autumn's touch really wore me out."

**GAMBIT**: "I heard you had a power that wore people out too."

Gambit sets his bare hand down over Rogue's and looks at her with a grin.

**GAMBIT**: "How does it work? There an on switch I need to flip or something?"

Rogue looks away from Gambit, upset. Gambit looks at Rogue in confusion and puts his hand under her chin. He turns Rogue's head and she looks at him sadly.

**GAMBIT**: "Hey. I sorry, cherie. Didn't mean to upset you. I was only foolin'. Didn't know I touched a nerve."

**ROGUE**: "I... I used to take people's memories by skin to skin contact. In the case of mutants, I also took their powers for a short time. When the mutant cure came out, I..."

Rogue pauses and lowers her head.

**ROGUE**: "I just didn't want to hurt anyone anymore. I didn't want to have a life without touching anyone safely. But since I came back, a lot of folks around here haven't been..."

Rogue stops herself and pauses. Gambit looks at her in concern and lifts her head back up gently to face him.

**GAMBIT**: "I'm sorry, girl. But it's all right. Looks to me like the only one who got hurt here is you." (beat) "I'll make sure you don't get hurt no more."

The doors slide open and Bobby walks in. He stops, noticing Gambit and Rogue. Rogue turns to Bobby and smiles at him.

**ROGUE**: "Bobby!"

**BOBBY**: "Am I interrupting?"

**ROGUE**: "No, of course not. We were just talking."

**BOBBY**: "So I see."

Gambit stands up and looks away from Bobby to Rogue.

**GAMBIT**: "Well, I see your boyfriend's here where he belongs. My pop always told me two's company and three's an eavesdropper. I'll scurry off and let you two walk."

Gambit walks by Bobby and the doors slide open, allowing Gambit to walk out of the doorway. Bobby looks from Gambit to Rogue and then turns to the doorway, as the doors slide shut.

**BOBBY**: "I'll be back in a minute."

**ROGUE**: "Bobby, wait."

The doors slide open and Bobby walks out, following after Gambit. The doors slide shut and Rogue shakes her head.

* * *

In the hall of the X-Mansion's lower level, Gambit walks down the hallway and Bobby quickly follows after him.

**BOBBY**: "Wait just a minute."

Gambit stops walking and turns around to Bobby.

**GAMBIT**: "What do you want?"

**BOBBY**: "That was going to be my question to you. I've seen the way you look at Rogue. She barely knows you."

**GAMBIT**: "That's why we been hanging out, so she can get to know me." (beat) "Don't tell me you're jealous, Ice-Cube."

**BOBBY**: "That's Ice_man, _LeBeau. And I'm not going to tell you to stay away from her again."

**GAMBIT**: "I think she can see whoever she wants, whenever she wants, mon ami. Except, of course, she hasn't been around the one person she wants to see most."

**BOBBY**: "And just what is that supposed to mean?"

**GAMBIT**: "It means she's your girlfriend. You're hot, polite, caring, wonderful, Southern girlfriend. If you love her so much, then why have I been down here all this time instead of you?"

Bobby steps forward and gives Gambit a grim look.

**BOBBY**: "You don't know anything about me or of my feelings for Rogue. I do care about her."

Gambit steps forward to Bobby, giving him an equally stern look.

**GAMBIT**: "Yeah, you know that. Does she?"

Gambit turns and walks off. Bobby watches Gambit walk off to the elevator and then turns back to the clinic. Bobby looks away, frustrated.

**BOBBY**: (sighs) "Damn it."


	14. Chapter 14 The traitor

That night, in the storage room of Essex's hideout, Scott still lies shackled to the table, looking rather glum. His bandages have already been removed, with his burns completely healed. Sage walks into the room, holding a tray of food in her hands (a tuna fish sandwich cut in half, a bowl of salad, etc.), and she stands next to Scott. 

**SAGE**: "Dinner time."

**SCOTT**: (in normal voice) "I'm not hungry."

**SAGE**: "Oh, come now. Don't look so glum, Mr. Summers. Your voice has gotten better, so I suggest you do the same for your appetite."

**SCOTT**: "Where's Essex? I thought he'd be the one in here instead of you."

Sage grins and sets the tray down on a nearby table.

**SAGE**: "Ordinarily, he would be. But since his two week wait has ended, he's gone away on business."

**SCOTT**: "What are you talking about? What's going on?"

**SAGE**: "Cheer up, Mr. Summers. You're about to have company."

* * *

In the living room at the X-Mansion, Rogue sits at a table for two, with the other seat currently vacant. Rogue holds a History textbook in her hands, reading Section Five of Chapter Nine. Carol walks into the room and to Rogue. Rogue stops and turns to face her.

**ROGUE**: "Hi, Miss Danvers."

**CAROL**: "Hello, Rogue. I was looking for Mr. Worthington. Have you seen him?"

**ROGUE**: "I think he's in the Danger Room with Storm. They're doing some kind of flight training exercise." (beat) "Why? Is something wrong?"

**CAROL**: "I just wanted to know if he had seen Autumn around."

Rogue closes her textbook and looks at Carol, puzzled.

**ROGUE**: "I thought she was grounded and in her room what happened last week."

**CAROL**: "She's supposed to be, but she's not. I can't find her."

* * *

Autumn stands outside in the X-Mansion's back yard, wearing a tank top and baggy sweat pants. Autumn folds her arms over her chest and looks around. Autumn pauses and smiles.

**AUTUMN**: "I was wondering when you were going to show up."

Autumn turns around and Essex and Omega Red walk to her.

**ESSEX**: "Where is the Summers brother?"

**AUTUMN**: "In his bedroom, on the upper level with his fiancee. The other ones you want are right inside. One of them is in the training room. I'm not sure where the other one is."

**ESSEX**: "I was quite intrigued when you informed me he was here. To think he's been looking for Scott all this time. That makes two long lost Summers siblings that I've successfully found."

**AUTUMN**: "Why do you want him? He's not one of us."

**ESSEX**: "True. Alex may not be part of our little group, but he is going to keep Scott company. He's been so sad ever since he had learned Jean was dead again. I can only imagine his reaction to the news that his baby brother is alive and well. Also, help Omega Red with our little chore here on the grounds. I intend to give Scott all the love and rewards he rightfully deserves... no matter what."

Autumn nods and walks off with Omega Red.

* * *

In the Danger Room, Warren soars in the air, dressed in his own black leather X-Men uniform and nicknamed ANGEL. Warren/Angel flaps his wings as he turns and flies through a wide, tall green hoop hovering in the air. Storm stands on the ground and keeps watch at Warren.

**STORM**: "Good work, Warren. There's just three left. But it's going to get harder from here."

Warren flies away from the ring and looks across the room. Another metal hoop hovers in the air and it shines with red light. Warren turns to his left and looks at another hoop, which shines with green light. Warren grins and flies over to the hoop. A compartment in the ceiling opens up and a blaster device the size of a shotgun sticks down, aiming at Warren. As Warren heads to the hoop ahead, the blaster opens fire and shoots a beam of green energy at Warren. Warren turns and barely dodges the blast. Warren resumes his flight to the shining green hoop and dodges three more laser blasts along the way. Warren passes through the hoop and flies away, turning to his right. Warren notices a green hoop hovering in the distance and he flies to it. The doors slide open and Carol walks into the room. Carol looks up, as another laser blaster device emerges from a tile in the wall behind Warren. The blaster fires a beam of energy and it hits Warren's back. WARREN GRUNTS as the hit knocks him out of the air and he falls fast.

**CAROL**: (yells) "WARREN!"

Storm turns around to Carol, as she flies up into the air. Carol flies to the falling Warren and catches him in her arms. Storm shakes her head and holds up a remote control. Storm pushes a red button on the controls and the blasters retreat back into their compartments. Carol flies down and lands on the ground, setting Warren down on his feet.

**CAROL**: "Are you all right?"

**STORM**: "He's all right, Carol. It's just a stun beam."

**CAROL**: "I'd rather Warren spoke for himself, Ororo."

Storm sneers and Warren shakes his head.

**WARREN**: "Honestly, I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me."

**CAROL**: "Says the man who fell out of the sky."

**STORM**: "Not to be rude, but what are you doing in here?"

**CAROL**: "I was hoping either of you had seen Autumn. I can't find her anywhere."

Storm and Warren exchange confused looks and then they turn back to Carol.

* * *

Bobby walks down the main hallway, holding a textbook under each of his arms. He walks to the shut doorway to the living room and reaches for the doorknob.

**AUTUMN**: "Bobby."

Bobby stops walking and looks down the hall at Autumn.

**AUTUMN**: "Could you come over here for a second?"

**BOBBY**: "Autumn? You're supposed to be in your room."

**AUTUMN**: "Would you just come here for a second? There's some hurt students over here."

Bobby looks puzzled and hurries over to Autumn. Autumn points at the ground and at Jubilee and a boy, both lying unconscious. Bobby crouches beside them.

**BOBBY**: "Danny? Jubilee? What happened to them?"

**ESSEX**: "Me."

A tranquilizer is fired from behind and hits the back of Bobby's neck. Bobby tenses and pulls the dart out, but quickly grows groggy. Bobby looks up at Autumn, as the dart freezes solid in his fingertips.

**BOBBY**: "What... what did..."

Bobby turns to look behind him and sees Essex's foot kick him. Bobby falls to the floor, unconscious, and Essex looks up at Autumn.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the living room, Rogue still sits at her table and is reading her textbook. Rogue pauses a minute and she looks at her watch, which reads 7:02 P.M. There is a knock on the door and Rogue turns around.

**ROGUE**: "Bobby? Is that you?"

Rogue closes her textbook, rises from her seat and walks down the room. Rogue opens the door and a red energy beam fires from the hall, hitting her on the chest. ROGUE GRUNTS as the blast knocks her down to the ground. Rogue rolls onto her side, wincing from the pain. Rogue tries to get up, but stumbles and passes out from the pain. Essex smiles and walks with Autumn into the room. The two stand next to Rogue and look down at her.

**ESSEX**: "So, this is young Rogue."

**AUTUMN**: "Do we have to take her along? She doesn't even have her powers anymore."

**ESSEX**: "Don't question our choice, Autumn. Leave her to me. Let's take her outside. We have the first of our Horsemen."

* * *

In the guest bedroom of the X-Mansion, Alex sits on his bed and is holding a stack of papers in his hands. Lorna walks down the room and stands beside Alex.

**LORNA**: "What're you reading?"

**ALEX**: "The files of Scott's history here at the school. What he excelled at in classes, what he taught..." (beat) "Eighteen years worth of lost times."

Lorna puts her hand on Alex's shoulder and sits beside him.

**LORNA**: "We'll find him, sweetie. The Professor is doing a thorough search of the Alkali Lake area to see if he can find any leads on what may have happened to Scott."

**OMEGA RED**: "The Professor? Do you mean him?"

Alex and Lorna turn to the doorway and see Omega Red standing in the hall. Moira and Xavier are tied in his coils and dangle just above the ground, unconscious.

**OMEGA RED**: "I'm afraid he's rather drained at the moment, Tovarisch."

Alex and Lorna stand up in anger, as Omega Red's coils unwrap from Moira and Xavier. The unconscious duo fall and land on the ground.

**ALEX**: "What did you do to them? Who are you?"

**OMEGA RED**: "Allow me to introduce myself."

Omega Red lashes one coil forward and it wraps around Alex's neck. Alex struggles, but Omega Red's pulls back and quickly jerks Alex towards him.

**LORNA**: (yells) "ALEX!"

* * *

In the mansion's garage, Logan sits next to his motorcycle, dressed in a tank top and jeans. Upon finishing the work on his cycle, he wipes the grease away from his hands with a towel. Logan stops a minute and sniffs the air. Logan narrows his eyes.

**LOGAN**: "That scent."

Logan stands up and runs down the large garage.

* * *

Logan steps out of the doorway and down the main hall. He stops, as he notices Jones lying unconscious before his feet. Logan crouches beside him and sniffs the air. Logan looks ahead and sees two more students lying in the hall, curled up into balls and shaking. Logan sneers and turns to his left, looking down at the next hallway. The elevator slides open and Storm walks out with Warren and Carol.

**LOGAN**: "Hey! Over here!"

Storm, Warren and Carol turn around and towards Logan.

**WARREN**: "Oh, my God."

The trio run down the hall and towards Logan.

**CAROL**: "What happened?"

**LOGAN**: "I'm not sure. I got some kind of stench on Jones. It's familiar to me, but I'm not sure who it is. There's someone else with him. It's the same guy I smelled from the hospital."

**STORM**: "The one who took Scott?"

Sounds of a fight occur from up the stairs and Logan turns around. The others turn to the staircase, noticing the sounds above.

**LOGAN**: "I'll check it out."

**CAROL**: "I'm going with you."

Carol and Logan run down the hall and to the stairs.


	15. Chapter 15 Fight in the mansion

In a hallway on the X-Mansion's upper level, Alex falls to one knee as Omega Red's coil bathes him in white light. Alex weakly struggles, getting drained. 

**OMEGA RED**: "The sicker you get, the better I feel."

**ALEX**: "Then feel THIS!"

Alex's hands shine with red energy and he punches them onto Omega Red's chest, firing a large energy beam onto him. The blast makes Omega Red release his coil from Alex as it blasts him backwards a few dozen feet. OMEGA RED GRUNTS as Lorna crouches beside Alex, as he falls to all fours.

**LORNA**: "Alex, are you all right?"

**ALEX**: "I feel kind of strange... weak."

Omega Red gets to his feet and walks to Alex.

**OMEGA RED**: "I'm simply here to pick you up. I would advice your wench to step aside."

Lorna looks at Omega Red with a sneer and she holds her left hand up, palm out. Lorna makes Omega Red stiffen, stopping him in his tracks, and his coils stop writhing. Lorna lifts her hand up and she makes the coils wrap around Omega Red himself.

**LORNA**: "And I advise you to keep your tendrils to yourself, Ivan."

**ESSEX**: "A metal manipulator?"

Lorna turns around and Essex fires an energy blast at her chest, knocking her to the floor. Lorna lies unconscious and Omega Red grins, her magnetic hold over him gone.

**ESSEX**: "How fascinating."

**ALEX**: "Lorna!"

Omega Red unwraps his coils from his body and extends them forward to Lorna.

**OMEGA RED**: "Your lady will make a nice snack."

Essex picks up his tranquilizer and aims it at Alex, when Logan leaps at him from behind and ROARS with rage. Logan tackles Essex to the ground and they wrestle around on the floor for a moment. Essex kicks Logan off and he lands on the floor before Omega Red. Logan looks up and the two men look at one another, stunned.

**OMEGA RED**: "Logan? This was the last place I expected to find you here."

**LOGAN**: "Yeah, I get that a lot, bub."

Logan kicks Omega Red in the crotch and he staggers back. With a SNIKT sound ringing in the hall, Logan unsheathes his nine inch long metal claws from his knuckles and jabs them into Omega Red's gut. Omega Red hunches over, but grins through the pain.

**OMEGA RED**: "You should know by now that doesn't work on me."

Omega Red's coil wraps around Logan's neck from behind and it pulls him back. Omega Red turns and extends his coil ahead, shoving Logan through the wall to the guest room. Carol hurries down the hall from behind Essex and looks shocked as she notices Omega Red.

**CAROL**: "Omega Red?"

Essex turns and stands before Carol, his hands glowing with red energy.

**ESSEX**: "And you are?"

**CAROL**: "Oh, how rude of me. Here's my card."

Carol decks Essex across the jaw with a right hook and the punch shoves Essex backwards. Essex collides onto Omega Red and both fall to the floor, with Omega Red's coil dropping Logan and retreating back to him. Essex gets off of Omega Red and turns around, rubbing his jaw.

**OMEGA RED**: "Caroline Danvers."

**ESSEX**: "A friend of yours?"

**OMEGA RED**: "Not so much."

Logan steps out from the hole in the wall, glaring at Essex.

**LOGAN**: "So you're the one who took Scott. Where is he?"

Alex weakly sits up and looks at Essex in shock.

**ALEX**: "What? He has Scott?"

**ESSEX**: "I'll take you to him, Alex, if you'll let me. But only you. I don't want any of you. I'm just here to pick up a select few."

**CAROL**: "What are you talking about? Who else are you after?"

* * *

Meanwhile, Angel and Storm carry Danny into the living room and they sit him down on the couch next to Jubilee. Bobby is already seated on the chair, still unconscious.

**ANGEL**: "Who got past the school's security systems?"

**STORM**: "I don't know, but I intend to find out."

Storm turns around and Autumn walks into the room.

**STORM**: "Autumn! Are you all right?"

**AUTUMN**: "I saw some weird guys in the school and slipped away. Is everyone all right?"

**ANGEL**: "They've been drugged. We need to get the others."

**AUTUMN**: "Well, Dr. McCoy is still in the lab with Kitty and Peter."

**STORM**: "All right. Angel, take Autumn down to the lab."

Warren nods and walks with Autumn, following Storm out of the room.

* * *

In the main hall, Storm walks off and up the stairs. Angel and Autumn walk down the other end of the hall to the elevator.

**ANGEL**: "Come on."

Autumn looks at Storm, as she gets to the upper level and out of sight.

**ANGEL**: "Don't worry about Storm. She'll be fine."

Autumn follows behind Angel and holds up a tranquilizer pistol.

**AUTUMN**: "She will be. You won't."

Autumn fires a tranquilizer dart and it hits the back of Angel's neck. Angel stumbles and falls to all fours. Angel pulls the dart out of his neck and looks at Autumn.

**ANGEL**: "Autumn? Why... why did you..."

Angel pauses and then collapses, passing out.

* * *

Back on the mansion's upper level, Essex and Omega Red stand up, as Logan steps forward, sneering at them.

**LOGAN**: "Well, you going to answer the lady's question or what? Who are you slime balls after?"

**ESSEX**: "Just some pawns for our cause."

**LOGAN**: "You ain't taking anyone from here."

**ESSEX**: "We already have two. We just need two more."

Storm hurries down the hall and looks at Essex and Omega Red.

**STORM**: "Who are they?"

**CAROL**: "Just some garbage we need to take out."

**LOGAN**: "Ugh. There's that cornball dialogue again."

**ESSEX**: "We've wasted enough time talking. Arkady, take Mr. Summers along."

Omega Red's coils lunge forward and wrap around Alex's arms and waist. Alex struggles, but Omega Red's coils slowly drag him forward and white energy shines from the coils and over Alex, sapping his strength.

**LORNA**: "Alex!"

Alex passes out and Logan glares in anger. Logan charges forward and dives at Omega Red, tackling him. Omega Red's coils unwrap from Alex, as both men hit the ground. LOGAN ROARS in rage as he wrestles around on the ground with Omega Red, and Essex holds up his tranquilizer pistol.

**ESSEX**: "If you try to stop me, I'll shoot you with this tranquilizer pistol!"

Storm's eyes turn white, losing their pupils, and her fingertips spark with lightning. Essex aims the gun at her, but Storm fires a lightning blast at his chest. The blast knocks Essex to the floor and he drops his pistol. Carol walks over and picks up the fallen gun. Essex gets to all fours and looks up. Carol smiles at Essex and crushes the gun in her hand, breaking it in half.

**CAROL**: "How can you shoot us now?"

Essex smiles and his eyes turn red, with his fists glowing with red energy.

**ESSEX**: "So glad you asked."

Essex fires two energy blasts forward and each blast hits Storm and Carol. The two women are knocked down by the energy blasts and hit the ground.

Meanwhile, Omega Red continues struggling with Logan. After a few seconds, his coils wrap around Logan's wrists. Omega Red's coils stretch Logan's arms out to the sides and Omega Red kicks him back. Logan staggers back, but the coils pull him back to Omega Red. As he gets close, Logan head-butts Omega Red right on the face. The impact makes Omega Red release Logan and he rolls aside, holding his face in pain. Logan and Omega Red get to their feet and turn to one another. Omega Red lashes his coil at Logan, but he ducks under it. Logan slashes his claws at Omega Red twice, striking him across the chest. The bloody scratches quickly fade from Omega Red, as he blocks Logan's next claw slash and whips his coil across Logan's own chest, raising a bloody scratch. The scratch quickly heals and Logan ducks under Omega Red's next lash of his coil. Omega Red's other coil whips low at Logan's ankles, but he backflips out of reach. As he lands, Logan rolls forward and springs at Omega Red, delivering a jump-kick to his chest. Omega Red staggers back and Logan slashes his claws at Omega Red again. Omega Red wraps his left wrist's coil around Logan's wrist and stops his arm. Omega Red kicks Logan on his ribs, knocking him back, and then he pulls Logan back to him with his coil. Logan strikes first and Omega Red square on the chest, pushing him back and making his coil release Logan's arm.

Meanwhile, Essex is continuing his own fight with Carol and Storm. Essex fires a red energy beam from his left fist and it hits Carol on the gut, knocking her back. Storm fires a lightning blast at Essex, but he dodges it and fires another blast at Storm. Storm ducks, barely missing the energy blast, and Essex fires at her again. Storm rolls away from the blast, while Carol flies right at Essex. Carol delivers a punch to Essex's chest that shoves him down the hall and towards the staircase. Essex lands on his back before the stairs, nearly falling down them. Essex shakes his head to clear it and he gets up to his feet, as Carol flies down the hall to Essex. Essex fires at Carol with his energy blasts, but she dodges each one and continues for him. Carol punches at Essex, but he leans back under Carol and he holds his hands up, palms out. Essex fires an energy blast at Carol's gut and it pushes her up, making her collide against the ceiling. Essex moves away, as Carol falls to the floor. Essex kicks Carol aside and watches her fall down the stairs. Essex turns and sees Storm stand up, her eyes still white.

**STORM**: "That was a mistake."

A wind starts to form in the hall, blowing against Essex. Essex walks to Storm, but the wind continues to build and gets stronger, pushing Essex back a few steps. Storm stands in place, unaffected, and she sneers at Essex as the wind continues to get stronger. Finally, the gush of wind knocks Essex back and off his feet. Essex stumbles and GRUNTS as he falls down the stairs.

* * *

In the hallway of the X-Mansion's lower level, Beast walks down the hall and towards the elevator.

**BEAST**: "I wonder what is keeping Piotr and Kitty so long with the equipment. I don't think the list of chemicals I wrote for them to retrieve was too difficult for them to find in my room."

Beast watches the elevator doors slide open and steps back in shock.

**BEAST**: (softly) "Oh, my stars and garters."

Piotr and Kitty lie unconscious in the elevator, with the list lying beside Kitty's hand. A tranquilizer dart sticks out from the back of their necks.

* * *

Back on the upper level, Essex gets back up the stairs and sees Storm waiting for him. Essex rubs his left side and flinches.

**ESSEX**: "My little tumble down the stairs hurt. You'll pay for doing that."

**CAROL** : "Yes, you will."

Essex turns to see Carol hovering behind him and she delivers a haymaker to Essex's jaw. Essex is knocked back a few steps and he rubs his chin. Essex turns around to Storm and then looks at Carol.

**ESSEX**: "Two against one. Hardly a fair fight."

**CAROL**: "Give it up. You can't beat us."

Storm puts her hands together and makes lightning between her fingertips. Essex smiles and turns to Carol.

**ESSEX**: "So says you."

Carol punches at Essex, while Storm fires an electric blast from behind. Essex ducks under the blast and it hits Carol instead, knocking her to the floor. Essex turns to Storm and fires an energy blast from both hands, hitting her chest. Storm falls to the ground, unconscious. Essex turns to Carol, as she gets to all fours. Essex's hand glows with energy, as Carol looks up.

**ESSEX**: "Any last words?"

**BEAST**: "If I may interject..."

Essex turns and sees Beast on all fours on the ceiling. Beast punches Essex across the jaw and he falls to the floor, stunned. Beast turns, as the sounds of a struggle emerge from the next room.

**BEAST**: "What's going on?"

A metal coil stabs through the wall of the next room and into the hall, barely missing Beast. Beast leans back and the coil just as quickly retreats into the room. The two metal coils stab through the wall again and lunge forward in the hall. Just as quickly, the coils retreat back in the next room. Beast turns to the room with the three holes made in the wall. He hears LOGAN SCREAM with rage.

**BEAST**: "Wolverine?"

As if in answer, Logan is shoved through the wall and out into the hall, with one of Omega Red's coils tied around his waist. The coil pulls Logan back to the hole in the wall, trying to pull him back in the room, but Logan lunges his arms above his head and his claws pop out. Logan's claws stab into the wall above in the hole in the wall, stopping him from being pulled in. Logan strains, as the coil tries to pull him in. Logan's legs wrap around the coil and pulls Omega Red forward to him. When Omega Red is in range, Logan kicks his feet out forward at him. Both feet hit Omega Red on the chest and the impact pushes him back, making him release Logan. Logan releases his hold on the wall and falls to his feet. He turns to Beast and Carol, noticing them.

**LOGAN**: "Look out!"

Beast turns around, just as Essex fires a blast at Beast. Beast leaps away and towards the next wall. Beast bounces off the wall by his feet and leaps back at Essex, tackling him to the floor. After a few moments wrestling, Essex knocks Beast off of him with an energy blast. Beast hits the ground, dazed, and Carol flies to Essex. Carol and Essex continue to fight, while Logan continues his own brawl with Omega Red. Logan dodges Omega Red's coils in the background, while Beast sits up and turns to the staircase. Autumn walks from the stairs and to Beast.

**BEAST**: "Autumn? You need to get out of here! We're under attack!"

**AUTUMN**: "Yes, I know."

Autumn suddenly grabs Beast's face and uses her powers, bathing white energy into Beast. Beast strains, weakening, and he grabs Autumn's wrists to pull her off. Autumn narrows her eyes and the energy shines brighter into Beast. BEAST GRUNTS in pain. Carol grabs Essex's wrists and then she turns down the hall, looking at Beast weakly collapse.

**CAROL**: "Hank?"

One of Omega Red's coils lunges at Carol and wraps around her arms. Carol struggles, as Omega Red's coil shines with white energy and saps her strength. Omega Red turns to Logan and quickly lashes his other coil around his arms. Logan struggles and Omega Red smiles.

**OMEGA RED**: "How about that? A two course meal."

Logan struggles, as the energy emitted from Omega Red's coil saps his strength. Logan struggles to get loose, scowling through the pain.

**LOGAN**: (grunts) "I feel a tickle. This supposed to hurt, comrade?"

**OMEGA RED**: "You've always had a big mouth, James. Allow me to shut it for you!"

**LOGAN**: "Who the hell is James?"

Omega Red smiles at Logan, as Carol goes limp in his coil's hold and passes out.

**OMEGA RED**: "You mean you don't remember? Not me? Not even your real name?" (beat) "How interesting."

Omega Red pulls Logan close to him and when he's close enough, Omega Red punches him across the jaw. Logan slumps down in Omega Red's hold, dangling against his coil. Omega Red's coils unwrap from Logan and Carol and they fall to the floor. Omega Red turns to Essex, as Autumn releases Beast and he falls to the floor, unconscious.

**ESSEX**: "Leave them. We need to get Alex and get out of here. There's so much work left to do."

Omega Red nods and his coils lunge forward, extending out in length. The coils wrap around Alex and lift him up into the air, pulling him towards Omega Red.

* * *

In the X-Mansion's clinic, Lorna sits on a chair between two patient beds, where Piotr and Kitty lie unconscious. Carol walks into the room, carrying an unconscious Gambit in her arms. Lorna watches Carol walk down the room and she lays Gambit down on a bed.

**CAROL**: "I found him in the hall by the students' bedroom. There're two more students left there I need to bring down."

Carol walks to a bed and lies Gambit down on it.

**LORNA**: "Where's the Professor?"

Xavier wheels into the room, with Bobby at his side.

**XAVIER**: "I'm here. Moira is upstairs, getting food for Hank and some of the students. Autumn's famishing touch left them completely weakened and starved."

**LORNA**: "Where's Logan? Is he still outside?"

* * *

Logan stands on the porch and crouches down. Logan sniffs the ground for a moment and pauses. Logan sneers.

**LOGAN**: "Rogue. And Angel. Those scumbags must have dragged them off with them."

Logan steps down the stairs and onto the front lawn. He sniffs the ground again and pauses. Logan looks up, stunned.

**LOGAN**: (whispers) "Oh, God, no."

Logan turns around and runs inside.

Back in the clinic, Piotr sits on his bed, rubbing the back of his neck. Xavier and Bobby approach Piotr's bed.

**XAVIER**: "Are you all right, Piotr?"

**PIOTR**: "I am fine, Professor. I went up the elevator with Katya to get Dr. McCoy's chemicals and..."

Piotr pauses and looks over at Kitty, as she still lies unconscious on her bed.

**PIOTR**: "Katya. How is she?"

**XAVIER**: "She will be fine. We found you both drugged in the elevator, with some kind of tranquilizer darts in your necks."

Piotr rises from his bed and walks to Kitty. Piotr sits beside her and gently brushes the hair away from Kitty's face.

**PIOTR**: "What happened?"

Xavier pauses a moment and then he looks up at the doorway.

**XAVIER**: "Logan's coming."

Piotr and Bobby glance at Xavier, puzzled. The doors slide open and the doors slide open. Logan walks into the room, as Kitty stirs and MOANS as she awakens. Piotr turns to Kitty and holds her hand.

**PIOTR**: "Katya! How are you feeling?"

**KITTY**: "What happened?"

**LOGAN**: "Some mutants broke into the mansion and drugged you and Tin Man over there."

**BOBBY**: "What did you find?"

**LOGAN**: "Whoever was with Omega Red, they took Alex, Angel and Rogue with them."

**GAMBIT**: "Rogue?"

Lorna rises from her seat beside Kitty's bed and she sees Gambit sit up. Gambit rubs the back of his head, dazed.

**GAMBIT**: "Who took her?"

Lorna walks to Gambit and sits beside him, as he rubs his stomach.

**GAMBIT**: (groans) "Rogue was right. Autumn's touch does tend to wear you out."

**BOBBY**: "Autumn? She did this to you?"

**LOGAN**: "She went with the guys who took them. But there's something else. Autumn helped them take someone else along with them."

Xavier looks on in shocked realization.

**KITTY**: "Who did they take?"

**XAVIER**: (whispers) "My God...Oh no."


	16. Chapter 16 Changes

Back in the storage room at Essex's hideout, Sage stands next to Scott's table, as Essex walks into the room. Essex drags Alex with him, with his wrists shackled together behind his back, metal orb-shaped restraints locked over his hands and a black bag draped over his head. 

**SAGE**: "I see you were successful."

**ESSEX**: "It was easier than we expected. Of course, the element of surprise was on our side."

**SCOTT**: "Who do you have with you? What have you done?"

**ESSEX**: "I have taken two mutants from Xavier's little school and enlisted them to our cause, albeit not by choice. I don't think you met Mr. Worthington, but I do believe you know the other one. What's her codename again? Rogue, was it?"

Scott sneers, trying futilely to lift his arms.

**SCOTT**: "Why you psychotic..."

**ESSEX**: (interrupts) "Now, now. You needn't worry about them. They're just getting settled in and will soon be properly altered for our little cause."

**SCOTT**: "What're you talking about? Is that Worthington with you?"

**ESSEX**: "Who, him? No, no. Warren Worthington is in another room and he has angelic wings grown out from his back. However, I have obtained someone you knew quite well. Someone you haven't seen in over seventeen years."

Essex hooks Alex's shackles to a hook in the wall and fastens it closed, keeping Alex pinned to the wall. Essex removes the bag from Alex's head, as he awakens. Alex lifts his head and opens his eyes.

**ESSEX**: "Welcome to my little hideout. I trust you're comfortable."

Alex sneers and head-butts Essex on the face, just as he reaches his limit his restraints will allow. Essex staggers back a few steps, but regains his balance and smiles.

**ESSEX**: "Don't be so hostile. And after all the trouble I went through to reunite you two. I do believe you were looking for my guest, weren't you?"

Scott lifts up his head and looks at Alex. Alex looks at Scott, stunned.

**ALEX**: "Scott?"

Scott pauses a minute and looks over at Alex, stunned. Essex smiles at Scott.

**ESSEX**: "What's wrong, Scott? You look like you've seen a ghost." (beat) "Don't you recognize your own baby brother, all grown up?"

Scott stares at Alex, stunned.

**SCOTT**: (whispers) "Alex?"

**ESSEX**: "I told you I'd give you everything you deserve, Scott. You deserve to be happy. That's why I'm letting you catch up with the brother you thought was long dead. It's one of my gifts to you. I'll show you my other surprise for you as soon as she's ready."

**SCOTT**: "She? She who? Who else have you taken, Essex?"

Essex smiles and turns to Sage.

**ESSEX**: "Come on, Sage. Let's leave these two alone. They have a lot of catching up to do."

Sage nods and follows Essex out of the room.

**SCOTT**: "Who have you taken, Essex?" (snaps) "Who is she?!?"

A short time later, in Essex's laboratory, Apocalypse stands before a large metal tank filled with green fluid. Apocalypse watches the fluid bubble and fizz, as Essex walks into the room.

**APOCALYPSE**: "I take it our chemicals have been thoroughly mixed and are ready for use."

**ESSEX**: "Indeed. After all, resurrections are always delicate procedures and do take time."

**APOCALYPSE**: "I have waited for this moment for a long time, Essex. I can afford to be patient a while longer. Are our Horsemen being properly prepared for their treatments?"

**ESSEX**: "Sage and Omega Red are getting them set up now. All we have to do now is get ready to bring her back. But we won't make the same mistake Xavier did."

Essex turns and walks over to a cart across the room. A woman lies on her back on the cart, lifeless. The woman is JEAN GREY, dressed in a red trench coat over a black uniform. Essex smiles and wipes the hair away from Jean's face.

**ESSEX**: "She's quite beautiful. I can see why Scott would be so taken with her. I promised him I'd give him everything he deserved. And now I can."

* * *

Back in the clinic of the X-Mansion, Gambit sits up on his bed, eating a bowl of salad with a fork. Three empty bowls are stacked on the bedside table near Gambit's bed, as well as an empty plate with six pieces of fried chicken on it, eaten down to the bone. Gambit looks at the other X-Men gathered around the room.

**KITTY**: "I don't understand. Why would Autumn be helping Omega Red and the man who was with him?"

**BOBBY**: "What I want to know is, what does he want with Cyclops and the others?"

**LORNA**: "I don't know, but we're going to find out. We just need to find out where they went."

The doors slide open and Storm, Beast and Moira walk into the room.

**STORM**: "Is everyone all right?"

**XAVIER**: "They're fine now, Ororo. How are Hank and the students?"

**STORM**: "Better, thank you. Do you know who that man was that Autumn went with?"

**LOGAN**: "Nope. Never knew the guy. But he seemed to know about the school if he was able to sneak in here. My guess is Autumn told him."

**KITTY**: "Mr. Logan, you said you got a scent of their van outside. Did you know which way they went?"

**XAVIER**: "West, but he lost the scent at the exit road."

Logan looks at Xavier, stunned.

**LOGAN**: "Yeah. How the hell did you know I was going to say that?"

**XAVIER**: (beat) "I'm not sure. I... I just knew."

**BEAST**: "Interesting. Is it possible your telepathy is somehow trying to manifest itself in your new body, Professor?"

**STORM**: "If that's true, how is that even possible? The patient Moira was watching over wasn't a mutant."

**BEAST**: "True, but every person contains the X-gene inside of them. In the case of humans, it's just dormant and an unnatural change. But the mental powers Professor Xavier possesses are the most powerful on record."

Logan pauses a moment and then sniffs the air.

**XAVIER**: "We need to discuss this later. Right now, we need to find where Autumn helped those mutants take Alex, Warren and Rogue."

**LOGAN**: "Hold it."

Logan turns and looks at Gambit's bed. Gambit has already left the room.

* * *

Gambit is in the X-Mansion's garage. He puts on black gloves and holds a black helmet in his hands. Gambit walks over to a parked motorcycle and sits down on it. Logan and Bobby approach Gambit from behind and Logan sets his hand down on his shoulder.

**LOGAN**: "Where in the hell do you think you're going?"

**GAMBIT**: "I'm gonna find Rogue."

**BOBBY**: "We need to come up with a plan."

**GAMBIT**: "Got one. I found their location, blow up the bad guys, get the others free and bring them back."

**BOBBY**: "And how do you intend to bring back four other people back with you on just a motorcycle, Mr. Master Strategist?"

**GAMBIT**: "Simple. Worthington can fly. He takes the Summers brothers with him, I got Rogue seated behind me."

**LOGAN**: "Sounds like you got it all thought out, lousy as your plan maybe. But you forgot one crippling flaw."

**GAMBIT**: "And what's that?"

Logan's claws pop out of his hand on Gambit's shoulder, barely missing him.

**LOGAN**: "This is _my_ motorcycle."

**STORM**: "That's enough, Logan."

Gambit sneers and gets off of the motorcycle, as Logan's claws retreat back in his hands.

**GAMBIT**: "Okay, so it's a lousy plan. But I don't intend to sit on my hands waiting for everyone to regroup while we lose time looking for them."

**BOBBY**: "We can't just storm out after them without thinking things through! If we go out too early, we could ruin our chances of getting them back!"

**GAMBIT**: "And if we take too long, something bad could happen to them! You want to sit around while one of those creeps decides to gang up on Rogue for the fun of it?"

**LOGAN**: (snaps) "That's enough! Both of you!"

Bobby and Gambit sneer at one another and then turn to Logan.

**STORM**: "I know you both care about Rogue, but charging out alone won't work. When we get them back, we will do it as a team. You're going to have to put this friction between you two aside if you want to help bring the others back safely."

Gambit looks at Bobby sternly and he nods.

**GAMBIT**: "Fine. We do it your way."

**STORM**: "Let's go back and meet with the others to come up with a strategy."

**GAMBIT**: "I be right there."

**LOGAN**: "I'll wait with him. Go on."

Storm nods and walks off with Bobby, as Gambit walks off and sets the helmet down on a shelf. As Bobby and Storm walk out into the hall, Gambit walks to the doorway. Logan walks to Gambit and grabs his arm.

**LOGAN**: "You're in love with her, aren't you?"

Gambit stops and turns to Logan.

**LOGAN**: "You barely been here a month and I can see you're smitten with Rogue. I know the feeling of love at first sight here in this school. But take it from a guy with experience, kid... she has a boyfriend."

**GAMBIT**: "Thanks for the tip. But who're you trying to convince that she has a boyfriend? Me or you?"

**LOGAN**: "Rogue loves Bobby, kid. You've gotta seen that for yourself by now."

**GAMBIT**: "I have, but I wasn't referring to Rogue."

Gambit takes Logan's hand off of him and he walks out of the room.

* * *

Later that night, in the construction room in Essex's hideout, we find Rogue lying on the propped-up table. Her table is set before the large machine at the back wall, with her wrists and ankles shackled down tightly to the table. Metal cuffs are fastened around her biceps and below her knees, with the tubes hooked to the cuffs. Flat electrode pads are hooked up to Rogue's forehead and heart. Rogue nervously struggles and then glances up, as Sage stands before her.

**SAGE**: "I see Autumn got you secured."

**ROGUE**: "What're you going to do to me?"

Apocalypse walks down the room and stands before Rogue's table.

**ROGUE**: "Who are you?"

**APOCALYPSE**: "I am your new lord and master. You will make an excellent slave."

**ROGUE**: "I'm nobody's slave."

Apocalypse puts his hand under Rogue's face and she turns her head aside.

**APOCALYPSE**: "You have much spirit for one so small. You'll be of excellent use to me. Sage, restore her for me."

**ROGUE**: "What do you mean?"

Sage puts her bare hand over Rogue's and her hand shines with white light. The light flows into Rogue and she tenses, stunned. Rogue looks down at herself and looks on in fearful realization.

**ROGUE**: "Oh, no! _No!!!_"

Sage smiles at Rogue and then she tenses. A small spark emits between Sage's hand and Rogue's and their veins appear on their hands. Veins appear on Rogue's face and Sage's, as Sage staggers back, stunned. Rogue turns her head aside, crying.

**ROGUE**: (sobbing) "_Let go! LET GO!!!_"

Sage's body shakes a moment, stunned, and Sage finally lets go of Rogue. Sage collapses to the floor before Apocalypse's feet, dazed and out of breath. Rogue shudders against her restraints, shutting her eyes as she silently sobs. Apocalypse smiles at Rogue.

**APOCALYPSE**: "Don't despair yet, my dear. Sage has simply restored what was taken from you. The effects of the cure have been eliminated from your body and your power has been restored to you... permanently."

Rogue looks at Apocalypse as tears roll down her cheeks.

**ROGUE**: (sobbing) "It's not what I wanted."

**APOCALYPSE**: "It's not about what _you_ want. It's about what _I_ want. And I have big plans for you."

Apocalypse walks off and to the machine behind Rogue. Apocalypse turns it on and it powers up. Rogue struggles as best she can and Apocalypse smiles. Sage gets up to her feet, still shaking a bit.

**APOCALYPSE**: "I will leave you in Sage's care. I have another mutant to prepare. But I assure you, you'll be well taken care of."

Apocalypse walks off and out of the room, as Sage walks to the machine. Sage looks at Rogue with a grin and flips the main switch. The machine begins to buzz louder and Rogue shuts her eyes tight, as electric shocks hit her body and she SCREAMS in agony as her body violently struggles against her bonds.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the storage room, Scott pauses and turns his head to the doorway. He can hear ROGUE'S DISTANT SCREAMS echoing from in the hallway. Scott looks on in concern, as Alex turns to look at the doorway as best he can.

**SCOTT**: "Rogue!"

* * *

In an large office in Essex's hideout, the large room is mostly empty, with only a large machine before the back wall. The machine is identical to the one in the construction room and Warren is shackled to his own propped-up table, with the same cuffs and electrodes as Rogue. Warren's wings are unfurled on the table and shackled down to it. Two large injection devices are clipped into Warren's wings. Warren's shirt is already removed, hanging on a nearby chair. He hears ROGUE continue her tortured SCREAMS from in the hallway and he looks on in concern.

**WARREN**: "Rogue?"

The main door opens and Apocalypse and Autumn walk into the room. Autumn walks over to the controls of the machine, while Apocalypse stands before Warren's table.

**WARREN**: "What are you doing to Rogue?"

**APOCALYPSE**: "Precisely what I am going to do to you. I am going to transform you into my slave. However, I have a far more unique, and more fascinating, change planned for you."

**WARREN**: "I will never serve as your slave and neither will Rogue!"

**APOCALYPSE**: "How amusing. You speak as if you have a choice in the matter." (beat) "Famine, activate the machine. I want Mr. Worthington to see what I have planned for him."

**AUTUMN**: "Yes, sir."

Autumn turns to the controls and turns the machine on. The machine begins to buzz loudly and the current hits Warren, making him struggle against his bonds. WARREN SCREAMS as he convulses against his restraints and the current slams through his body. Apocalypse smiles and looks over at Autumn.

**APOCALYPSE**: "Increase the power. I want to hear the cries of the future being born."

Autumn grins and turns to the controls. Autumn turns the main power dial up slowly and Angel convulses against his restraints. WARREN SCREAMS, louder than before, more intense.


	17. Chapter 17 From the ashes

The next day, back in the X-Mansion, students walk down a hallway to get to class. Bobby walks down the hall, upset, with his textbooks held under his arm. Bobby walks to his locker and opens it. Three students - a boy, the blue-haired boy and a girl - stand by some of the lockers across the hall. 

**GIRL**: "Did those guys really take Mr. Worthington and that Summers guy with them last night?"

**BOY**: "Yeah, they also said Autumn and Rogue were taken too."

**BLUE HAIRED BOY**: "Rogue doesn't count. She's not even one of us anymore."

Bobby lowers his head, getting even more upset quickly.

**GIRL**: "Please. If they want her so bad, they can have her. It's no loss on our part."

Bobby shuts his eyes, trying to keep calm, and he grabs his locker tightly with one hand. As his grip tightens, his fingertips emit an icy mist that freezes the locker solid.

**BOY**: "I heard Mr. Logan left this morning with Miss Dane to go look for them. The others I can understand, but why would they want Rogue back?"

**LOGAN**: "Because Rogue is one of us."

The three teens stop and turn around, as Logan and Lorna walk over to them.

**BLUE HAIRED BOY**: "Uh... we were just..."

**LOGAN**: (interrupts) "Getting to class? Then go ahead. Now."

The teens nod and hurry off down the hall... as quickly as possible. Logan and Lorna look over at Bobby and he walks over to him.

**LOGAN**: "You okay, Bobby?"

**BOBBY**: "I've been better."

Bobby pulls out his red Physics textbook and slams the locker door shut. The frozen locker door breaks off and hits the floor, shattering into fragments upon impact. Bobby walks off down the hall and Logan watches him leave. Lorna walks over and stands next to Logan.

**LOGAN**: "I know how the kid feels."

**LORNA**: "So do I."

Lorna lowers her head and makes her hands into fists.

**LORNA**: "Since they took Alex..."

Lorna trembles, upset, and all of the locker doors swing open. Logan is also sent flying back and he GRUNTS as he slams into the nearby wall, pinned against it by her magnetism. Lorna opens her eyes and looks at Logan. Instantly, she opens her hands and releases Logan from her magnetic hold. Logan sneers and rubs the back of his neck.

**LORNA**: "Sorry. I'm just upset."

**LOGAN**: "I noticed."

**LORNA**: "Come on. We'd better get to class."

**LOGAN**: "You're teaching here now?"

**LORNA**: "I'm substituting for Warren until we find him. I thought it might help me get my mind off of what happened."

Logan sets his hand down on Lorna's shoulder.

**LOGAN**: "We'll find them, Lorna. I promise."

Lorna glances at Logan and nods. She follows Logan down the hall, while Piotr walks by and to his locker.

* * *

Elsewhere, in Essex's storage room, Alex glances over at Scott's table. Two plates are set on a nearby table, with crumbs of food left on it. Two cups, now empty, are also on the table. Alex flinches and struggles against his restraints.

**SCOTT**: "Are you okay?"

**ALEX**: "My wrists are chafing. This isn't exactly the way I pictured our little reunion."

**SCOTT**: "I can't believe we're even having a reunion. After all these years, finding you like this..."

**ALEX**: "I know. So who was the nut who told you I was dead?"

**SCOTT**: "My doctor at the hospital, Dr. Lang. He said I was the only one found on the mountainside. I was taken to a hospital down south of where we landed."

**ALEX**: "You were? I was taken to a hospital up north. The doctors said only I was found there."

**SCOTT**: "Why were we split up?"

**ALEX**: "Well, when you collided onto the mountainside and were knocked out, you missed the fun drop and the following tumble down the mountain. When we were rolling down, the tape fastened around us broke and we rolled away from each other. I must've been knocked out myself, because the next thing I know, I'm waking in a hospital bed with a doctor standing next to me."

Scott looks at Alex a moment, puzzled.

**SCOTT**: "Alex, if I had known... if I knew you were taken away to that hospital..."

**ALEX**: (interrupts) "I missed you too, Scott."

Scott pauses a moment and turns to the doorway.

**ALEX**: "What?"

The door opens and Essex walks into the room. Essex stands by Scott's table and smiles.

**ESSEX**: "I trust you're enjoying your little reunion."

**ALEX**: "Where are Rogue and Warren? What have you done to them?"

**ESSEX**: "Oh, don't worry about them. They'll be just fine. We just need to work with them a little bit more for them to be suitably prepared for what we have in mind."

**SCOTT**: "Leave them alone, Essex. You've done enough to them."

**ESSEX**: "It's not up to me, Scott. I don't have plans for them, but my master does. I know you think we've been treating them rather roughly. But it'll all make sense. You don't need to worry. I'll take care of you all."

**ALEX**: "That's what we're afraid of."

**ESSEX**: "I hate to leave so soon, but this was just a check-up on my part. I still have more work to do."

**SCOTT**: "With what?"

**ESSEX**: "You'll see."

Essex turns around and walks out of the room.

* * *

In the laboratory of Essex's hideout, Jean is floating in the tank with an oxygen mask over her face and dressed in a black bikini. Jean's wrists and ankles are chained to the inside of the tank, with electrodes on her wrists and chest, over her heart. Apocalypse stands by the tank, keeping watch over her. Jean bobs in the green fluid against her restraints, twitching lifelessly. Apocalypse smiles and turns to the doorway, as Essex walks in. Essex walks to Apocalypse and stands beside him.

**ESSEX**: "I trust the chemicals are taking effect."

**APOCALYPSE**: "Our special serum is working faster than I thought."

**ESSEX**: "Then it'll soon be time for us to finish the job."

**APOCALYPSE**: "So you have finished construction on the mind-scanner."

**ESSEX**: "Yes, I have. While Jean's been recovering, I spent most of the night going over her files. Taking Jean's records from Xavier's office was easier than I thought. Still, we need to make sure we do this carefully. We don't want to repeat the same mistake Xavier did."

Apocalypse looks down at Jean, as she twitches in the water.

**ESSEX**: "But don't worry, sir. Jean is not going to be a problem. Just leave her to me. I'll take care of her and her little Phoenix problem."

* * *

That night, in the board room in Washington, the President, Trask and seven Senators sit at the large table. One seat is left occupied.

**SENATOR #1**: "Should we wait for him to show up?"

**SENATOR #2**: "We should just start without him. We can't wait any longer."

**PRESIDENT**: "Hank is an ambassador on our staff. He deserves to be kept in the loop."

**TRASK**: "He hasn't exactly kept us in the loop lately. He's been at that old school of his for a while now. We can't put off another meeting because he's a no show."

**PRESIDENT**: "This is a mutant matter, Trask. We should wait for him for a few more minutes."

The door opens and the Secretary walks into the room.

**SECRETARY**: "Excuse me for interrupting, Mr. President, but I just got a phone call from Dr. McCoy."

**PRESIDENT**: "Where is he? Is he on his way over?"

**SECRETARY**: "He can't make it, sir. There's been an incident at the Xavier School."

Trask glances at the President sternly and the President looks away from him to the Secretary.

**PRESIDENT**: "What's happened?"

* * *

Two weeks have past. That morning, in the Danger Room of the X-Mansion, Moira is standing next to Xavier, with his wheelchair set beside two railings fastened to the ground. Xavier is on his feet and is holding onto the railings, as he practices learning to walk again.

**MOIRA**: "Come on, Charles. You're doing great work. Just keep yourself nice and steady."

Xavier holds onto the handle bars and moves his left leg slightly. Xavier lifts up his leg and moves it forward, taking a step forward.

**MOIRA**: "Very good. Keep your balance."

Xavier moves his right foot forward and proceeds to take another step. Xavier stumbles and falls, releasing the railings. Xavier hits the ground and Moira goes to Xavier's side, helping him sit up.

**MOIRA**: "Are you all right?"

**XAVIER**: "I'm fine. I just lost my footing, that's all."

**MOIRA**: "Or maybe your mind was on something else."

Xavier looks away and sighs.

**XAVIER**: "It's been two weeks, Moira, and we haven't found a trace of them. Not knowing where some of my X-Men are is something I'm not used to and it's frightening to me. I could've found them easily by now, if only I had used Cerebro. But without my telepathy to use it..." (beat) "I just wish I could help, Moira."

**MOIRA**: "I know. We all miss them. But try not to worry. We will find them."

Xavier nods at Moira.

**XAVIER**: "Thank you, Moira."

* * *

That afternoon in Washington, the President and Trask are left alone in the large board room. The President stands across the room and eyes Trask sternly.

**PRESIDENT**: "I can't believe you're actually discussing this with me."

**TRASK**: "It's a project we've been trying to get approved for years, sir. It maybe time to consider it."

The President turns and looks at Trask sternly.

**PRESIDENT**: "Do you realize what you'd be asking me to consider putting up for debate, Bolivar? The controversy we'd spark after what's happened? Especially since Hank is still away on a mutant matter."

**TRASK**: "People are still scared of mutants, Mr. President, and we've got one of them as an ambassador. We have had more attacks and sightings in this year than the past three alone. Alkali Lake, Russia, the Xavier School... and need I remind you about the Alcatraz incident? Or the Statue of Liberty? I'm just saying that we should consider all possibilities to protect our citizens, sir."

Trask sets down a folder on the table and looks at the President sternly.

**TRASK**: "Just look over the revised version. There have been some changes you might find interesting. Just read it and then decide for yourself."

The President looks at Trask and then at the folder. The front of the folder reads: PROJECT - WIDEAWAKE.

* * *

That night, in Essex's laboratory, Jean is out of the tank and she's lying on her back on a table. She is unconscious and her wrists and ankles shackled down to the table. A metal headband is clamped around Jean's forehead, with various electrodes hooked into it and attached to her heart. The electrodes are hooked up to a machine standing behind her table. Essex stands at the controls and looks at Jean. Jean twitches against her restraints, tensing. Apocalypse walks into the room and stands next to Jean's table.

**APOCALYPSE**: "Are you almost finished with our patient?"

**ESSEX**: "The adjustments I've made to Jean should prove to be quite fascinating. There are no traces of her Phoenix persona following our little revival, but I took no chances. Any trace of that persona has been wiped clean from her mind."

Essex flips up a switch and Jean jerks and writhes against her shackles. Jean tenses and Essex smiles at her.

**ESSEX**: "She's almost ready. The sedatives will keep her unconscious until the procedure is done. And then, we can finally put our plan into motion. I trust you'll find this worth the wait, sir."

**APOCALYPSE**: "Indeed. I've finished the last work on our little Horsemen. I just need to wait until their serums take effect."

**ESSEX**: "Well, that shouldn't take long. Besides, the only side-effect our little concoction had was turning the skin of those who ingest it blue. But that was in a test of one out of five."

Essex looks over at Jean, as she continues to writhe in pain.

**ESSEX**: "In the meantime, I need to finish this little scan. When it's over, I can hardly wait to see Scott's reaction when he sees her again."

**APOCALYPSE**: "Then I will leave you to your work. I have to prepare my Horsemen for their training."

Apocalypse turns and walks out of the room.

In the hideout's storage room, Scott looks over at Alex, as Scott wriggles his arms against his restraints. Essex opens the door, walks into the room and stands beside Scott's table.

**ESSEX**: "And how are you both this evening?"

**ALEX**: "What are you doing here?"

**ESSEX**: "I'm bringing something for Scott. Something he wants very much."

**SCOTT**: "Unless you've freed Warren and Rogue, and I highly doubt that, there's nothing you have that I want."

**ESSEX**: "What about someone?"

Scott looks puzzled and Omega Red walks into the room. He has Jean tied in his coils and he pulls her in with him, with a metal headband device clamped over her forehead and her wrists chained together. Jean is dressed in a T-shirt and jeans. Scott stares at Jean, stunned.

**SCOTT**: (whispers) "Jean?"

**ESSEX**: "I found your little fiancee in her grave. It took quite a while to resurrect her, let alone return her mind to its normal patterns. I had to undo so much damage Xavier did to her psyche."

**SCOTT**: "Xavier? What're you talking about?"

Omega Red sets Jean down on her knees before the side wall, near Scott's table. Omega Red fastens her chains to a hook on the wall and grabs a collar from the floor, which is chained to the wall.

**SCOTT**: "Let her go! Get away from her!!!"

Omega Red fastens the collar around Jean's neck and locks it shut. Omega Red turns to Scott and extends his coil towards him.

**OMEGA RED**: "You are not in a position to be giving orders to me, comrade."

Essex glares at Omega Red, as his eyes turn red and lose their pupils.

**ESSEX**: "But I am. Back away from Scott."

Omega Red nods and his coil retreats back from Scott. Alex looks at Essex in shock, as Essex walks over to Omega Red.

**ALEX**: "Whoa. What happened to you?"

**ESSEX**: "It's part of my own mutation."

Essex pauses as he hears JEAN MOAN. Scott turns his head and looks at Jean, as she lifts her head up. Essex smiles, as tears form in Scott's eyes. Jean slowly opens her eyes and looks at Scott.

**SCOTT**: (softly) "Jean?"

Jean stares at Scott a moment, stunned. Jean tries to stand, but her restraints keep her pinned down. Jean looks at her restraints and then at Scott. She stares at him, still stunned. Tears form in Jean's eyes.

**JEAN**: (softly) "Scott?"

**ESSEX**: "Welcome back from the dead, Dr. Grey... again."

Jean turns and looks at Essex.

**ESSEX**: "I can assure you that you and Scott are both very much alive and that this time, you'll both actually stay alive for a long time to come."

**JEAN**: "Who are you?"

**ESSEX**: "My name is Dr. Nathaniel Essex. Allow me to show you the real me."

Jean looks at Essex, as he pulls down his collar and grabs the nearly invisible line across the lower half of his neck. Essex pulls the line and pulls off the Caucasian-skinned, paper-thin mask over his true skin - as white as chalk. Alex raises an eyebrow, stunned.

**ALEX**: "That... was disgusting."

Jean tries to stand, but is unable to get up. Jean looks at Scott and narrows her eyes, trying to focus. Jean suddenly flinches in pain and Scott eyes her in concern.

**SCOTT**: "Jean? What's wrong?"

**ESSEX**: "She must be trying to use her powers. But my little neural- blocking device is keeping her from using her telekinesis and her telepathy. It keeps her from reading our minds and using her powers to get all of you free."

**JEAN**: "My powers..." (beat) "Now I remember. I was with Logan at Alcatraz when..."

Jean stops and lowers her head in fearful realization.

**JEAN**: (whispers) "Oh, God."

**ESSEX**: "Don't look so haunted, Dr. Grey. Those dark days are behind you now. You've been reborn for the better. I have to leave you both now. But if you'll excuse me, I still have work to do for Apocalypse."

**SCOTT**: "Oh, no you don't! You leave Rogue and Warren alone, Sinister! I won't let you hurt them anymore! Do you hear me?"

Essex smiles and walks to Scott, as Jean looks up at them.

**ESSEX**: "Don't worry about them, Scott. I assure you they'll be all right. We have big plans for them."

**JEAN**: "What? What have you done?"

Essex looks at Jean and smiles.

**ESSEX**: "Don't worry, my dear. You'll be there when I show you all the best surprise for last."

Scott futilely struggles to get up and Essex grins. Essex walks off and Omega Red follows him out. Omega Red shuts the door behind them and Scott looks at Jean.

**JEAN**: "Scott? But how...? How am I alive? I..." (beat) "Oh, God. What have I done? What did I do to you? I... I thought I had..."

**SCOTT**: (interrupts) "You didn't. I'm here, Jean."

**JEAN**: "Oh, Scott, I... what I thought I did... what I did after, I..." (sobbing) "Oh, God, I'm so sorry."

Scott looks at Jean in concern and Alex looks over at Jean.

**SCOTT**: "I'm sorry, Jean. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, whatever happened. I wish I could put my arms around you and tell you it'll be all right. A lot has happened I need to fill you in on." (beat) "I think I should start with introducing you to someone else special in my life... my brother."

Jean looks up and looks at Alex, calming down.

**ALEX**: "Hi. Alex Summers. I'd shake your hand if I could."

Jean looks at Alex a moment and then she looks at Scott.

**JEAN**: "Brother?"

**SCOTT**: "Like I said... we have a lot to talk about."


	18. Chapter 18 Surprises

Late in the afternoon, in the X-Mansion's living room, Bobby is sitting on the couch. He is changing the channels on the TV with his remote control. Kitty walks into the room and stands next to Bobby. The clock on the wall reads 4:45 P.M. 

**KITTY**: "Hey."

Bobby stops changing the channel and looks up at Kitty.

**BOBBY**: "Hey."

**KITTY**: "Are you all right?"

**BOBBY**: "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just..."

Bobby stops himself and looks away. Kitty eyes him in confusion.

**KITTY**: "What is it?"

**BOBBY**: (sighs) "I keep going over the last few weeks in my head. Missing out on my plans with Rogue after class, at lunch..."

**KITTY**: "You've been busy."

**BOBBY**: "I think I've been stalling."

Kitty looks at Bobby, puzzled.

**KITTY**: "What do you mean?"

Bobby pauses and then he turns to Kitty.

**BOBBY**: "Ever since Rogue got the cure, I've never seen her happier. She's been wanting to spend so much time together, to finally get close to me. But the closer we got, it also got us further apart."

**KITTY**: "You mean you're upset Rogue cured herself too? She's still the same person, Bobby."

**BOBBY**: "I know she is. But the thing is, I didn't want her to change. I know she says it's what she wanted..."

Bobby stops himself and shakes his head.

**BOBBY**: "But I can't help wondering if I'm the reason she made herself change. She went from coping with her powers and becoming an X-Man to pulling a complete one-eighty and deciding that the cure was what was best for her and for our relationship."

**KITTY**: "Well, if you think you changed Rogue's mind about it, I'm as much to blame."

Bobby raises an eyebrow, puzzled.

**BOBBY**: "You? You didn't do anything."

**KITTY**: "No. I was just the one paired with you in the Danger Room simulations and the one you took ice skating, remember? You said Rogue admitted she saw us together."

**BOBBY**: "But we're just friends, Kitty. Rogue knows there's nothing going on between us."

**KITTY**: "If that's true, then why are so worried about this now than when Rogue was here?"

**PIOTR**: "Katya?"

Kitty and Bobby look over at the doorway, as Piotr steps into the room.

**PIOTR**: "I did not mean to interrupt, but Miss Munroe wants us in the lower level for a training session."

**KITTY**: "Okay. We're on our way, Pete."

Piotr nods and turns, walking out of the room.

* * *

In Xavier's office, Xavier sits at his desk, writing on a blank notebook page. There is a knock on the door and Xavier stops, looking up as Beast walks in.

**XAVIER**: "Hank. What is it?"

**BEAST**: "I've just received word from the President. He wants me to attend a meeting in Washington about a new proposition regarding recent mutant attacks."

**XAVIER**: "What? What proposition?"

**BEAST**: "I don't know yet. No one is disclosing any details until a Senate hearing tomorrow night. I'm going to be there to express my opinion on whatever this new proposition is about. But judging from the President's tone, I have a feeling this can't be good. But I don't feel right about leaving you now."

**XAVIER**: "You have a job to do, Hank. I know you want to help us find the others, but your presence is needed at that hearing."

Xavier pauses a moment and looks at the doorway.

**XAVIER**: "Moira's coming."

The door opens and Moira walks into the room, walking towards Xavier's desk.

**BEAST**: "Hmm. To quote one of our school's star pupils, Kitty Pryde, 'you're starting to seriously weird me out here, Professor.'"

Xavier smiles, as Moira stands next to Beast.

**MOIRA**: "What's going on?"

**BEAST**: "It seems the Professor is having another of his random telepathic incidents, Moira. He knew you were coming in here. But how do we find a way to make sure it permanently stays with you this time, sir?"

**XAVIER**: "I don't know. We'll find a way." (beat) "Excuse me, Moira. What did you want to talk about?"

**MOIRA**: "It's almost five o'clock, Charles. I came here to help you resume your physical therapy."

**XAVIER**: "Oh, yes. Right. Excuse me, Hank. I'll be back later."

Xavier pushes the control stick on the arm of his wheelchair and he wheels away from his desk, following Moira ahead to the doorway.

* * *

Down in the Danger Room, Bobby, Piotr and Kitty stand in the room, each wearing their own black leather X-Men uniforms. Storm and Logan stand with them, wearing their own X-Men uniforms.

**KITTY**: "Hey, how come we're just waiting around? I thought we were supposed to be doing a group training simulation."

**LOGAN**: "You are. We're just waiting for our last recruit to get here."

Gambit walks into the room, wearing his brown trench coat over his own black leather X-Men uniform.

**BOBBY**: "You have got to be kidding me."

**STORM**: "Remy has the fighting skills and experience necessary to join us for this training simulation, Bobby. Besides, it will also give you two a chance to act as teammates."

**GAMBIT**: "There's nothing in the rulebook that says we have to like it though, eh?"

**LOGAN**: "Let's cut the small talk. It's time to start the training exercise."

**BOBBY**: "Yeah. Who designed it?"

Logan grins.

**LOGAN**: "I did."

The four students exchange nervous looks and Piotr's skin reverts to metal, turning into Colossus.

**COLOSSUS**: "Any chance of us actually surviving this exercise, Mr. Logan?"

Logan grins and pops his claws out of his gloved knuckles, as the room changes its appearance into that of a giant, rocky grounds of a WAR ZONE.

**LOGAN**: "Only one way to find out now, isn't there?"

* * *

Back in the laboratory in Essex's hideout, Dr. Essex sits at his table, his skin chalk white. The door opens and Apocalypse enters the room. Essex turns around and looks at Apocalypse.

**ESSEX**: "Are they ready, sir?"

**APOCALYPSE**: "Yes, Essex. Allow me to introduce you to my four Horsemen."

Omega Red walks into the room, dressed in a sleeveless red armored top, red armored pants, a red headband, a white belt and white boots. Autumn follows him in, wearing a black leather uniform with a black belt and black knee-high boots.

**APOCALYPSE**: "You already know of Pestilence and our young Famine here. Here is my Horseman of Death."

Rogue walks into the room, her expression cold and blank. Rogue is dressed in a long-sleeved black leather top with a black hood, long black pants, a white belt, white gloves and white boots. Rogue lifts her hood back, away from her face.

**ESSEX**: "Such a lovely choice. But what of your final member?"

**APOCALYPSE**: "So glad you asked. Meet my greatest creation... my Horseman of War."

Warren walks into the room, wearing a black leather uniform with purple piping down the sleeves of the top and pant legs. Warren's skin is now blue and his folded wings are covered in a coating of silver metal. Warren's wings unfurl and Essex smiles.

**ESSEX**: "Impressive. Your own little Archangel on your little team. So when do we make our move?"

The door opens and Sage walks into the room.

**SAGE**: "Excuse me, sir, but our contact has just arrived."

**APOCALYPSE**: "Good. Send her in."

Sage nods and walks out into the hall. Essex stands up and walks over to Apocalypse. Sage walks back into the room with the President's Secretary following her in. The Secretary looks over at the four Horseman and looks stunned as she notices Rogue.

**SECRETARY**: "What is she doing in here?"

**ESSEX**: "Don't worry about her. We've persuaded her into joining our side."

**APOCALYPSE**: "What did you want to speak to us about?"

**SECRETARY**: "The President's having a secret meeting at the Senate tomorrow night. It has something to do with a new kind of mutant registration plan. But this one is much worse than the original."

**ESSEX**: "The fools. Don't they know not to try and bring back plans that don't work?"

**SECRETARY**: "Apparently not."

**APOCALYPSE**: "When does this take place?"

**SECRETARY**: "Tomorrow at seven, in a special hearing room downtown."

**APOCALYPSE**: "This may be just the appropriate event to debut my new quartet. It will show them the price they pay for trying to dominate the superior mutant race. You have done well in my employ."

**SECRETARY**: "I still owe you a debt, Apocalypse. For getting me out of incarceration and for what Sage did for me..." (beat) "I'll do whatever I can to repay you."

**APOCALYPSE**: "Your servitude as been a great help to our cause. You have one part left to play before you will be relieved of your services. I will need you to assist us in order to show these fools the error of their ways. I need you to join our strike against these meddlesome humans... Mystique."

The Secretary smiles and her eyes go yellow. Her hair changes color to red and her skin changes color to blue, with blue scales raised on her body. The Secretary changes her form into her true self - MYSTIQUE. Mystique smiles and folds her arms over her chest.

**MYSTIQUE**: "I'm in."

**APOCALYPSE**: "Excellent. Then allow me to fill you in on my plan."

Late at night, in Logan's bedroom, Logan turns on his side on his bed, asleep. Logan tenses, his shut eyes fluttering.

**LOGAN**: (in dream) "Come on! Move it! We've still got to get this guy away from this overgrown tin squid!"

* * *

Logan's dream flashes back to the security compound. Logan stands in the hall, with various tears on the back, front and pant legs of his outfit. His left sleeve has been torn off, with blood stained on the cuts of his outfit. Logan stands next to a young Carol Danvers and an AGENT in a lab coat over his clothes.**LOGAN**: "Come on. I'll get you out of here." 

**AGENT**: "What about Omega Red?"

The trio turn around, as a door is knocked open and off its hinges. Omega Red approaches into the hallway and Logan shakes his head.

**LOGAN**: "I thought I took you down."

**OMEGA RED**: "No one can stop me!!"

**LOGAN**: "Yeah? I noticed you like picking on people smaller than yourself. Well, _I'm_ smaller! _Try pushin' ME!!!_"

Omega Red lashes his left coil at Logan. Logan rolls under the coil and springs at Omega Red, tackling him to the ground. Logan and Omega Red wrestle around on the floor, with Omega Red's coil wrapping around Logan's waist.

**OMEGA RED**: "A foolish maneuver, no? You cannot hurt me!!"

Logan pokes Omega Red's eyes with his fingers and he covers his eyes. Logan quickly knees Omega Red in the groin and he flinches in pain.

**LOGAN**: "What was that you were saying?"

Omega Red sneers and opens his eyes, as his coil extends up and slams Logan through the ceiling. Omega Red's coil pulls down and pulls Logan down with it.

**YOUNG CAROL**: "Logan!"

Carol flies over to Logan, as Omega Red's coil holds him tight and he dangles above the floor. Omega Red turns and lashes the other coil at young Carol, but she catches it and pulls on it. Omega Red is pulled to her and Carol punches Omega Red across the jaw. Omega Red is knocked back and through the open doorway, making his coil pull Logan into the next room.

* * *

The two smash into a laboratory in the compound. Omega Red hits the floor and his coil drops Logan. Logan gets to his feet and turns to Omega Red, as he stands up. Omega Red lashes his right coil at Logan, but he dodges it. Omega Red flicks his left coil forward at Logan, but he ducks and it stabs through a nearby chair instead. Logan charges at Omega Red, but he pulls his coil forward and the coil pulls the chair with him. The chair collides onto Logan and it knocks him forward. Logan hits the ground and Omega Red lashes his coil, knocking the chair off of it. Omega Red wraps his right coil around Logan's waist and pulls him closer to him. Omega Red's coil shines with white energy, as Carol steps into the room.

**YOUNG CAROL**: "Logan!"

**LOGAN**: (grunts) "I've got him! Get the Agent out of here!"

**OMEGA RED**: "It doesn't matter, James! None of you will leave this compound alive! None of you are a match for my raw power!!"

**LOGAN**: "Don't you ever shut up?"

When Logan gets close to Omega Red, he kicks his feet onto Omega Red's chest and the double hit pushes him backwards. The kick makes Omega Red release Logan and he pops his claws out of his knuckles - but the claws are made out of jagged BONE, not metal. Logan leaps at Omega Red as he ROARS with an outburst of berserker rage, claws aimed forward at him.

* * *

That morning in Logan's bedroom, Logan awakens and sits up on his bed. Logan looks around, panting, and realizes where he is. Logan pauses a moment, calming down. Logan looks down at his hands and pops his claws out with a SNIKT. Logan stares at his claws a moment, puzzled.

* * *

Later that day, in the board room, the seven Senators, Trask and the President are sitting at the table. The Secretary stands at the side of the room, keeping watch. The door opens and Beast walks into the room, approaching the table.

**BEAST**: "Good morning, Mr. President. Please excuse me for being late."

**PRESIDENT**: "That's quite all right. How have you been, Hank?"

**BEAST**: "I'm all right. We still haven't had any luck finding the missing occupants of the Xavier School, though."

**PRESIDENT**: "I'm sorry to hear that, Hank. I know the students and teachers there are your friends."

**BEAST**: "True, though I hear you've been busy yourselves while I've been away."

**TRASK**: "Troubles don't go away just because you do, Hank. We're actually here to review our proposition we'll be addressing at the hearing tonight."

**BEAST**: "Yes, I heard you had a last-minute addition to our list of topics to discuss. What kind of proposition is this?"

The President picks up a folder from the table and passes it to Beast.

**PRESIDENT**: "This isn't an easy issue to address, Hank. You might want to prepare yourself. This will come as quite a shock."

Beast takes the folder from the President and opens it. Beast silently reads the first page in the folder to himself and then he pauses. Beast's curious expression fades and he looks up at the President, stunned.

**BEAST**: "With all due respect intended, sir, you can't possibly be serious."

The President nods and Beast turns, noticing Trask's grim look. Beast sets the folder down on the table.

**BEAST**: "You do realize what this would mean to the mutant community. This so-called 'proposition' is just going to make things worse between the relationship between mutants and humans."

**TRASK**: "Well, with all due respect, Dr. McCoy, it's already gotten worse."

**PRESIDENT**: "This is the main topic of the hearing tonight, Hank. This isn't an approved plan yet. Tonight, we decide whether or not this gets passed."

**BEAST**: "Well, for all our sakes, Mr. President, I pray this plan never gets passed. You have no idea what problems this could cause."

**TRASK**: "That remains to be seen, Doctor."

Beast turns and looks over at Trask grimly.

* * *

That day, back in the X-Mansion, Xavier sits behind his desk in his office. He is looking at a stack of papers. The door opens and Logan looks into the room, wearing a leather jacket over a tank top, jeans and boots.

**LOGAN**: "You busy, Charlie?"

Xavier looks up and at Logan, as he walks to his desk.

**XAVIER**: "Come in. Is there something I can help you with, Logan?"

Logan sits at a chair before Xavier's desk.

**LOGAN**: "Those x-rays that Jean did when she first found me. You still have any of those copies?"

**XAVIER**: "Why do you ask?"

**LOGAN**: "I want to know if they really are made out of bone."

**XAVIER**: "What are?"

Logan taps his knuckles.

**LOGAN**: "These. I had another memory of my time at the Russian compound. Before I woke up, I remember leaping right at Omega Red and popping my claws out. But they weren't metal. They were jagged bone."

Xavier looks at Logan, puzzled.

**XAVIER**: "If what you're saying is true, I don't think it'd be possible to know for sure by the x-rays. The adamantium covers over objects so completely, it'd be impossible to know if your claws were once made of bone."

Logan SIGHS and sits back in his chair.

**LOGAN**: "Great. So much for answers."


	19. Chapter 19 The escape

Late that afternoon, in the storage room, Essex walks over and stands next to Scott's table. Essex is dressed in a black leather uniform. 

**ESSEX**: "We're leaving for Washington now, Scott. I trust you all will be fine while we're gone."

**SCOTT**: "What are you talking about? What are you doing, Essex?"

**ESSEX**: "Oh, you'll find out soon enough, Scott. After tonight, everything will change."

Apocalypse enters the room, with Rogue and Warren at his sides.

**APOCALYPSE**: "It's time to go, Sinister. There's much to do."

Scott, Jean and Alex look at Warren and Rogue in shock.

**ALEX**: "Rogue? Warren? What did they do to you?"

**APOCALYPSE**: "They are under my command now, Alex. They don't bother to pay much attention to specks such as yourself."

**SCOTT**: "Warren, Rogue, listen to me! I know you're in there somewhere! Whatever they've done to you, you have to fight it! You don't want to do this!

**ESSEX**: "Don't waste your breath, Scott, and don't worry about them. We'll take good care of them."

Essex turns and follows the others out of the room. Essex shuts the door behind them and Scott turns to Jean. She tries to stand, but her shackles keep her down. Jean pauses a moment and then flinches in pain. She GRUNTS as she struggles to get loose.

**SCOTT**: "Jean, don't. If you try anything, you'll hurt yourself."

**JEAN**: "Scott, whatever they're doing, we can't let them get away with it. I have to try."

Jean struggles for a moment, but again she stops and flinches.

* * *

The outside of Essex's hideout is seen clearly for the first time. It is a large, wide, abandoned company that looms in the middle of an old business center in the middle of nowhere. The top of the building reads ESSEX ENTERPRISES. A large black jet rises up from the back of the center and flies up into the air, heading off forward to the north.

* * *

In the main hall of the Senate building, Beast walks down the hall, wearing a business suit, and he walks towards the approaching President, Trask and four bodyguards.

**BEAST**: "Mr. President, if I may, I'd like a moment of your time about tonight's hearing."

**PRESIDENT**: "I can't talk now, Hank. I have a lot of work to finish before we get started."

**BEAST**: "Just five minutes, sir. This is quite important."

**TRASK**: "Dr. McCoy, we are incredibly pressed for time."

**PRESIDENT**: "I'm sorry, Hank. I can't speak with you now. We'll talk at the hearing."

The President turns and walks off with his bodyguards and Trask. Beast looks on, watching as they walk off.

**PRESIDENT**: "Maybe I can make time. I should go back."

**TRASK**: "Don't worry about Dr. McCoy, sir. Whatever he has to say, he can say it at the hearing. We have a lot of work to do, Mr. President."

**PRESIDENT**: "There's something about all this that doesn't seem right to me." (beat) "By the way, have you seen Grace around? She was supposed to meet us over here."

**TRASK**: "I'm sorry, sir. Nobody's seen your secretary since this morning. I'm sure she'll be here soon."

The President nods and follows Trask to the right, turning to the next hall.

**PRESIDENT**: "Let's hope this meeting works."

**TRASK**: "Indeed."

* * *

The large Senate building is seen from the outside. The Senate building stands at the end of an old business center, with several parked limousines parked around it and security guards and policemen standing watch throughout the area. A news REPORTER stands before the steps of the building, with a CAMERAMAN filming her with his camera.

**REPORTER**: "Tonight's last-minute senate hearing has attracted quite a crowd of onlookers, curious as to what the President and the Senate are going to discuss. What is known is that several senators have been gathered specifically for tonight's hearing, including Senators Dave Hayter and Michael Kamen, Sr., as well as mutant ambassador Dr. Henry McCoy, who have all been strong supporters in the movement for mutant rights."

The Reporter turns and points at a crowd of people being kept back by police caution tape and policemen standing watch. The crowd hold up signs in their hands, such as MUTANTS GO HOME and NO MORE MUTANTS!!!

**REPORTER**: "Many protestors have already shown up at the news of having a known mutant participating in this top secret hearing and the number of officers is expected to double to keep the area secure here tonight."

* * *

Back in the storage room, Jean shuts her eyes and flinches in agony, writhing against her chains. Scott looks at Jean, as she throws her head back and grits her teeth. She GRUNTS at the pain as she tries unsuccessfully to tug against her bonds.

**SCOTT**: "Jean, don't."

**JEAN**: "I have to try, Scott."

Jean stops and looks over at Scott. Scott looks over at Jean and notices her chains. Scott looks in realization.

**SCOTT**: "Wait a minute. Can you move aside?"

Jean looks up at Scott and nods.

**JEAN**: "I think so. Why?"

**SCOTT**: "Go as far to your left as you can."

Jean nods and moves over to her left about a foot or two away, before her chains go taut and reach their limit. Jean flinches, as her neck collar tugs tight against her.

**SCOTT**: "I know this hurts, but I want you to stay like that for a minute. Lean to your left and as far away from me as you can."

**ALEX**: "What are you doing?"

Scott lifts up his head and quickly shakes it around, tossing it around frantically side to side.

**SCOTT**: "Exactly what I don't want to do."

Jean flinches and looks at Scott as best she can as he suddenly bucks his head and his glasses are knocked off of his face, his eyes shut tight.

**ALEX**: "What are you doing?"

**SCOTT**: "Jean, lean forward. I need to get this just right."

Jean leans against her chains and winces, shutting her eyes and mouth tight. The chains rattle as they go taut and Scott turns towards them. Scott opens his eyes and fires a deep red beam from his pupils. The beam narrowly misses Jean as it blasts through her chains, as well as the wall.

BOOM!!! The blast punctures through to the next room and into a large study. The blast continues to fire forward and punches through a bookcase. Scott shuts his eyes tight and he GRUNTS as he turns his head aside. Jean sits up and moves her arms forward, pulling the headband device off of her forehead. Jean turns to Scott's fallen glasses and they twitch. The glasses slowly float up off the ground and towards Scott's table.

**JEAN**: "Scott, open your eyes."

Scott complies, as the ruby-quartz glasses slide over his pupils. Jean turns to Scott and holds her right hand up, making his shackles unlock. Jean turns to Alex and holds up her hand, making his restraints unlock and open on their own. Alex steps forward and rubs his hands, and then he looks up at Jean. Scott sits up on the table and smiles.

**ALEX**: "I take it that was your telekinetic capability. It's quite cool."

**JEAN**: "Thanks."

Scott gets off the table and Alex turns to him.

**ALEX**: "That's some girl you have there."

**JEAN**: "Go ahead. I know you've been wanting to since you got here."

**ALEX**: "What does she mean?"

Scott smiles and hugs Alex. Alex is caught off-guard by the hug, but he smiles and hugs Scott back.

**ALEX**: "Oh."

Jean lets out a soft smile, as the collar and shackles telekinetically unlock off of her and fall to the floor. Alex ends the hug and Scott turns to Jean. Jean walks to Scott and stands before him. Jean holds out her hands and Scott smiles, gently taking them.

**JEAN**: "This is real, isn't it?" (beat) "You're really here."

**SCOTT**: "It's really me, Jean."

Jean smiles, wiping the tears from her eyes, and she hugs Scott.

**JEAN**: (whispers) "I'm so sorry."

**SCOTT**: "It'll be all right, Jean. I promise."

Alex taps Scott's shoulder and points at the doorway behind him.

**ALEX**: "You do realize, of course, that we are free. We can get out of here."

**SCOTT**: "Not quite yet, Alex. There's something that we need to do before we go."

* * *

Scott walks through the hole in the wall and into the study, with Jean and Alex following him in.

**ALEX**: "This your idea of a short cut?"

Scott walks over to a phone set on a desk and picks it up. He hears the dial tone.

**SCOTT**: "Bingo."

Scott pushes buttons, dialing a phone number.

**ALEX**: "What're you doing?"

**SCOTT**: "Getting back-up."

* * *

In Xavier's office in the X-Mansion, Moira stands next to Xavier, as he sits behind his desk writing. Xavier pauses and looks on in shock. He twitches a moment, a bit stunned. Xavier looks away, as Moira eyes him in concern.

**XAVIER**: (whispers) "It can't be."

**MOIRA**: "Charles? What is it?"

The phone rings and Xavier turns to it.

**XAVIER**: "I'll get it, Moira."

* * *

Back in the study, Scott holds the phone to his ear, pausing.

**XAVIER**: (on the phone) "Hello?"

**SCOTT**: "Professor, this is Cyclops. We have a situation here, sir."

* * *

Logan, Storm, Bobby, Kitty, Gambit and Piotr stand in the Danger Room, dressed in their own X-uniforms. Lorna and Carol stand with them, also in their own X-uniforms. Carol's suit, like Piotr's, has the sleeves removed, showing her muscular arms.

**STORM**: "All right, everyone. We need to get to work on the next session. Miss Danvers and Miss Dane will be assisting us in today's exercise."

**XAVIER**: "No, they aren't."

The eight X-Men turn around and face Xavier, as he wheels into the room with Moira beside him.

**XAVIER**: "They're going with you to Washington."

**STORM**: "What's happened?"

**XAVIER**: "There's an attack going to happen in Washington."

**LOGAN**: "How do you know that?"

**XAVIER**: "Scott told me."

The X-Men exchange stunned looks and then turn to Xavier.

**STORM**: "You found Scott?"

**XAVIER**: "He called me. I'm going to pick him up and take him down to Washington assist you. Storm, I want you and Wolverine to leave immediately. They're going to attack the Senate hearing."

* * *

Minutes later, the assembled X-Men are in the X-Jet. Logan sits in the passenger seat of the cockpit, while Storm sits at the pilot seat, holding onto the controls. Carol and Lorna sit on chairs behind them, while Gambit, Bobby, Kitty and Piotr sit on chairs in the jet behind them. Gambit adjusts the collar of his trench coat, while Logan looks at Carol, noticing the mask tied over the upper half of her face.

**LOGAN**: "You shy about showing your face in public, Danvers?"

**CAROL**: "That's Miss Marvel. While we're at the fight, I tend to try and keep my identity a secret."

Storm looks out of the windshield, as she flies the jet over the city.

**STORM**: "We should be arriving at the Senate building in about ten minutes. And remember, we need to work together as a team, just like we've been training."

Gambit looks at Bobby a moment and he nods.

**GAMBIT**: "So you and me actually get to play nice for a change?" (A beat. Gambit smiles.) "S'cool."

* * *

Scott, Jean and Alex stand in front of Essex's hideout, waiting, and Alex folds his arms over his chest.

**ALEX**: "How much longer do we have to wait until the Professor gets here?"

As if in answer, a black jet with a red windshield flies overhead and towards the building. The jet lowers and parks before the building.

**JEAN**: "Not long."

A compartment on the bottom of the jet opens up and a stairway extends down to the ground. Scott, Alex and Jean hurry to the staircase and step up into the jet.

* * *

Within the jet, Xavier is at the controls, with Moira seated as co- pilot. Moira turns around and notices that Jean is the first to enter. Moira looks at her, stunned, as Xavier looks at Jean.

**MOIRA**: (whispers) "My God."

Scott follows Jean into the jet and sits on a chair beside her.

**SCOTT**: "It's all right, Moira. She's all right now."

**XAVIER**: "I take it she filled you in on what happened."

Alex is the last to enter and the stairway retreats back into the jet.

**ALEX**: "Yes, she did. Jean filled us in on every last detail."

Xavier looks at Scott, noticing his stern look. Xavier nods at Scott.

**XAVIER**: "I understand, Scott. I can only imagine what you must be feeling towards me after what I've done."

**SCOTT**: "Forgive me for saying so, Professor, but you can't exactly blame me for saying our reunion is bittersweet."

**XAVIER**: "I know. I did what I thought was right. I only hope you know that." (beat) "But this isn't the time to get into questioning my choices. We still have to help the other X-Men at the Senate building. Thankfully, it's not too far from here thanks to this jet's speed."

Xavier turns back and holds onto the controls. The jet revs up and takes off. Scott turns to Jean and holds her hand. Jean turns to Scott and lets out a sad smile.


	20. Chapter 20 Attack at the Senate

In the hearing room of the Senate building, Beast sits on a chair among several Senators, including the elderly SENATOR MICHAEL KAMEN and the bald, mid-50s SENATOR DAVE HAYTER. Trask, the President and six other Senators are seated at the main table at the far end of the room. Several REPORTERS, CAMERAMEN and PHOTOGRAPHERS are at one end of the room, keeping watch over the hearing. One of the seated Senators, the elderly and bald THOMAS DESANTO, looks over at the mid-50s, gray-haired Senator seated to his right, LAUREN DONNER.

**PRESIDENT**: "As you know, the main topic at hand tonight is a last-minute addition. This is a proposition that has been presented to this hearing before, in many different incarnations in the past six years, but it has always been rejected due to one reason or another. Whether it was a matter of being too expensive or too risky of a plan to consider, we now have a way to finally make it happen at a reasonable cost and with the necessary resources... if it is passed this time. The main topic tonight... is Project Wide-awake."

The other Senators turn to one another, stunned and talking to each other. Beast sits back in his chair, upset.

**PRESIDENT**: "The new plan would allow us to legalize the Mutant Registration Act, publicly identifying every mutant and keeping records of what they're capable of. It would also allow us to build special prisons designed to contain any mutants that break the law and rehabilitate them so they can be deemed fit to re-enter society." (beat) "In the worst case scenario, it would also allow us to come up with a new series of soldiers designed by the military to properly deal with any dangerous mutant attacks. Special androids, designed by the best robotic experts in the world, each fifty feet tall and designed with special force blasts to stun and capture any mutant that posed a hostile threat to our citizens. These robots have been dubbed by their creators Sentinels."

The Senators murmur to one another, all talking at once. Beast looks around the room and at the Senators' faces. Beast turns to the President and raises his hand.

**PRESIDENT**: "What is it, Dr. McCoy?"

The Senators turn to Beast, as he stands up.

**BEAST**: "If I may be allowed to speak on the matter, Mr. President."

**PRESIDENT**: "You may proceed."

**BEAST**: "Mr. President, we have all seen the errors caused by the Mutant Registration Act. Even the late Senator Kelly himself went from its strongest supporter to what ultimately defeated it."

**TRASK**: "Well, Senator Kelly got cold feet on one version of the Registration Act. This one is different."

**BEAST**: "Yes, and much more dangerous. Designing special mutant containment systems is a truly frightening concept, Mr. President. Records of mutant prisoner beatings from officers are as long as this very building. I was allowed access to read this file, along with a few other senators. There is no guarantee on the safety of the prisoners in any of those files and the very concept of starting in Genosha, the very place with some of the deadliest and dangerous attacks by humans against mutants, is appalling on so many levels."

**PRESIDENT**: "I understand your feelings on the issue, Dr. McCoy, being a mutant yourself. But with this plan, we will ensure that every mutant in detainment will be treated with the proper care."

**BEAST**: "With all due respect intended, Mr. President, you can't guarantee that promise to the mutant community. You don't understand. You will not have a fifty foot tall robotic soldier loose on the street hunting after mutants, assaulting them and abducting them."

**PRESIDENT**: "Hank, that's not what this plan is about."

**TRASK**: "If I may, Mr. President. Don't worry, Dr. McCoy. It is said they are only after mutant criminals."

**BEAST**: "Dr. Trask, humans are so scared of mutants, who is to ensure that only identified mutant criminals are targeted? Anyone afraid of mutants could easily call the authorities and give them a false report just to see mutants locked away. And the other methods of containment the Sentinels could legally use to apprehend mutants, it is entirely unethical and disturbing."

**SENATOR KAMEN**: "What methods?"

**BEAST**: "According to the files, the Sentinels will also use beams of energy focused through blasters built into their pupils, electro-magnetic technology in their feet to allow flight and increase their speeds to be as fast as a race car, and metal lassos built into their palms that emit an electric shock to their captors to stun them."

**SENATOR HAYTER**: "Good lord."

**SENATOR DESANTO**: "Sounds to me like they're under-prepared with their weapon supply. Most mutants have been known to stop armor-piercing rounds when it hits their skin and they can run as fast as a jet. You really think they could catch any mutant with powers like those?"

**SENATOR KAMEN**: "Senator DeSanto, please. We're not here to cause an uproar."

**SENATOR DONNER**: "Given the attacks in the last few months, Senator Kamen, I'd say it's already at an uproar."

**SENATOR DESANTO**: "No kidding. Look at what happened to Warren's laboratory on Alcatraz all those weeks ago. You want something as big and deadly as that to be allowed on the streets?"

**PRESIDENT**: "That's enough! Everyone calm down!"

The Senators look at one another and Beast looks at the President.

**BEAST**: "Mr. President, what's happening now in this room is the very example of why Project Wide-awake should not be passed. We are as divided in this hearing room on our opinion towards mutants as we are in this world. If we approve this plan, then all of the work we've done towards co-existence between humans and mutants will be lost."

**SENATOR DESANTO**: "Why should we listen to you? You were actually at the attack on Alcatraz, fighting off Magneto's forces!"

**PRESIDENT**: "Senator..."

**BEAST**: "I was doing my best to help."

**SENATOR DONNER**: "What you helped do was get Mr. Worthington to permanently rid the world of the very cure for mutancy he himself spent years and a small fortune creating."

**BEAST**: "Mr. Worthington made his own choice on making things safe for the mutant community. Now, we have our own choice to make."

* * *

A Secret Service AGENT walks to the back entrance of the Senate building, wearing a business suit and a headset. A large grassy field looms behind the back of the building. Agent #1 stops, as he notices the doorway is shut and he is alone.

**AGENT #1**: "What the hell? There were supposed to be two agents at the back door!"

**AGENT #2**: (on headset) "What? They're not there?"

**AGENT #1**: "No, sir. I'm checking it out."

The Agent goes to the doorway and opens it. Rogue stands in the doorway, her head lowered and her hands in her pants pockets.

**AGENT #1**: "What? What're you doing here?"

**AGENT #2**: (on headset) "What is it?"

Rogue looks up at the Agent, eyeing him blankly. She takes her bare hands out of her pockets and quickly grabs the Agent's face, knocking his headset off. The Agent stiffens and lets out incessant GASPS, as veins appear on his face and Rogue's hands. Rogue stays still, keeping hold of the Agent's face. The Agent falls to his knees, passing out. Rogue keeps her hold on the Agent, as Mystique walks to the back entrance from behind. She picks up the headset and puts it on.

**MYSTIQUE**: (in Agent #1's voice): "False alarm, gentlemen. I've found them inside. Seems our boys need to let us know when they decide to leave for a bathroom break."

**AGENT #2** (O. S.): (on headset) "Copy that. You scared us there for a second."

Mystique smiles, as Rogue drops Agent #1 to the ground and he lands dead.

**MYSTIQUE**: (in Agent #1's voice) "Wouldn't want to do that, now would we?"

Rogue puts her gloves on and Mystique grabs Agent #1 by his arms. Mystique drags him inside and to an open closet inside. She sets him in the closet, with two more dead agents already occupying it. Rogue shuts the back entrance door behind her.

* * *

Three Secret Service AGENTS stand watch in the Senate building's far hall, including AGENT #2. Agent #2 turns around, as a female Agent approaches, wearing a hat and a business suit.

**AGENT #2**: "You the other Agent assigned to join us?"

The Agent smiles and lifts up her hat, showing her face - it's Sage.

**SAGE**: "Yes. I'm here to take care of things with you."

**AGENT #2**: "Good. We need to be ready to keep watch. We don't want things to go wrong."

**SAGE**: "Don't worry. We'll make sure it won't."

Agent #2 suddenly pauses and stiffens. The Agent falls to the floor, unconscious, with the other two agents rendered unconscious and falling to the ground beside him.

* * *

Back in the Senate hearing room, Beast looks at the President, as he looks at the Senators talking all at once.

**PRESIDENT**: "Gentlemen, please. Now nothing has been finalized yet. We have not even decided if this plan will be approved yet."

The doors to the room are blasted off their hinges and they hit the ground, near the startled reporters. The cameramen, photographers and reporters step aside, as Apocalypse walks into the room with Essex and Omega Red following him in.

**APOCALYPSE**: "That is because it will never come to pass, Mr. President. I am Apocalypse. I have come here with my Horsemen to deliver this message to your race. The time of Homo sapiens has ended. We are your future, humans. Resist us at your peril."

Apocalypse steps aside, as Warren steps into the room. Beast looks at him, stunned, as Warren's metal wings unfurl before the startled press members.

**BEAST**: "Warren?"

Warren's wings fire two metal blades out of them, one of which hits a reporter in her gut and another hits a photographer in his chest. The photographer and reporter both fall to the ground, as Essex holds up his hands and fires a red energy beam at a cameraman. The beam hits the cameraman's chest, shoving him against the wall, as Warren fires two more feather-shaped blades at the fleeing news people. Beast stands up and turns to Warren.

**BEAST**: "Warren! What are you doing? Cease this fighting immediately before someone gets hurt!"

**SENATOR DESANTO**: "You know that winged freak?"

**BEAST**: "He happens to be a good friend and trusted colleague. But he seems to not hear me. I have to see what's wrong with him."

**SENATOR DESANTO**: "He's murdering the press, you idiot! You want to chat with him?"

**BEAST**: "Indubitably."

Beast stands up and leaps over the reporters, right at Warren. Beast tackles Warren to the ground and he pins him down, holding his arms.

**ESSEX**: "Archangel!"

Warren struggles in Beast's hold, as he eyes Warren in confusion, as several Senators and press members flee.

**BEAST**: "Warren, what is wrong with you? Why are you doing this?"

Warren sneers and two feather-shaped blades appear in his wings, ready to fire. Beast flips back as Warren fires the blades, which barely miss him. Beast lands crouched and turns to the President. Beast leaps over the crowd and lands crouched by the President.

**BEAST**: "My friend seems to be in some sort of trance! I have to reach him!"

**PRESIDENT**: "Are you crazy? It's not safe here!"

**BEAST**: "I agree. I'd advise you to get out of here at once, sir."

**TRASK**: "What?!? They'll kill us!"

**BEAST**: "I'll hold them off until help arrives. _Go!!_"

Beast looks at Warren, stunned, and then he pushes the President and Trask aside.

**BEAST**: "DOWN!"

Warren fires two feathered blades forward and one hits the wall. The other stabs Beast in his right shoulder and he GRUNTS as he falls to the floor.

**PRESIDENT**: "Hank!"

**BEAST**: "I'll be fine! GO!!"

The remaining Senators run off out of the open back doors of the room, following what reporters and photographers that had yet to run out. Trask takes the President by the arm and runs out of the room with him. Beast gets up and pulls the feather out of his arm, flinching.

**ESSEX**: "A futile gesture, Dr. McCoy, since we've sealed the entrances and exits. They won't get out."

Beast looks at the chalk white-skinned Essex in realization.

**BEAST**: "You're the man who abducted Scott. What is this all about?"

**ESSEX**: "Weren't you listening? We're here to take what is rightfully ours: our place as the dominant species on the planet."

**BEAST**: "What have you done to Warren?"

**APOCALYPSE**: "He is my Horseman of War now, mutant... a living weapon to bring about the end of the human race. Your friend Rogue has also joined my ranks as a Horseman of Death."

Beast looks on, as Rogue walks in, dragging a dead security agent in her hand. Rogue drops the agent and stares at Beast blankly, as Autumn follows Rogue into the room.

**BEAST**: (whispers) "Oh, Rogue."

**APOCALYPSE**: "It is only logical that the humans' time end now, Doctor McCoy. The weak must be eradicated so that only the strong can strive and survive."

**BEAST**: "We've just begun to chat and already you have spoken like a true homicidal maniac."

**APOCALYPSE**: "Do not challenge us, Doctor. You can be spared of our wrath if you align with us."

**BEAST**: "I already have an allegiance, the same as Warren and Rogue. I am an X-Man."

**APOCALYPSE**: "And so it shall read on the tombstone of your grave, you insolent fool."

Apocalypse aims his hands forward and a beam of red energy quickly fires from his palms, hitting Beast's chest before he can move. The blast knocks Beast back and against the wall, cracking it. BEAST GRUNTS as he falls and hits the floor, stunned. Mystique and Sage walk into the room and they stand next to Apocalypse.

**MYSTIQUE**: "The last of the secret service guards are down."

**APOCALYPSE**: "Excellent. Death, go and bestow Dr. McCoy with your fatal touch while we deal with our guests."

Rogue nods and walks over to Beast, as she removes her gloves.

**BEAST**: "Rogue... it's me, Henry. You don't want to do this."

A breeze of icy mist fires low on the ground from behind Rogue and it freezes over her feet, pinning them to the floor. Rogue suddenly stops and turns her head, looking over her shoulder to the side exit doors. The eight X-Men stand in the doorway. Apocalypse, Essex and his henchmen turn to see the X-Men in the doorway, as Beast stands up.

**LOGAN**: 'Sorry, darlin'. Nothing personal, but we don't want you doing something you'll regret."

**ESSEX**: "Impossible! How did you get here?"

**LOGAN**: "Easy. We turned the engines to full power to get us here. By the way, I had to use these to unlock your doors so we could get in."

Logan pops his claws out of his knuckles.

**BEAST**: "And I appreciate the help. However, Warren and Rogue seem to be under some kind of mind control courtesy of our new friend Apocalypse there."

**APOCALYPSE**: "You fools. You dare to oppose me?"

**LOGAN**: "We dare, ugly."

**APOCALYPSE**: "Very well. Horsemen, destroy them all!!"

Beast leaps over Rogue, high over her head, and he lands next to the X-Men.

**BEAST**: "What now?"

**LOGAN**: "It's too cramped to fight in here. We need to take it out back for more room."

**STORM**: "Let's move!"

The X-Men turn and run out of the doorway, down the hall, with the Horsemen following after them. As the other villains leave, Essex stands next to Rogue and fires an energy blast from his hands at the ice sheathed over her feet. The blast breaks the ice, allowing Rogue to move again. Essex hurries out of the room, with Rogue following after.

* * *

The President, Trask, the Senators, Reporters, etc., are all gathered around the front of the Senate building. The President steps towards a dead secret service agent on the floor and he notices three more lying dead on the front lawn.

**PRESIDENT**: "My God."

**TRASK**: "The other secret service agents are on their way, sir! I suggest we get you into the limousine and out of here!"

**PRESIDENT**: "We can't just leave Hank here."

**TRASK**: "We have to. He can handle himself against these attackers. We can't. Come on."

The President nods and follows Trask towards a parked limousine.


	21. Chapter 21 Against the Horsemen

The X-Men run out of the Senate building and into the back yard. Logan stands on the grassy lawn before the other X-Men, his hands made into fists. The back door is left wide open. 

**LOGAN**: "Listen up, guys. They're on their way out and they'll be here any second. We need to get Rogue and Warren taken out of the fight, but we ain't going to hurt them."

**GAMBIT**: "Y' don't need t' tell me that twice."

**LOGAN**: "The other creeps, on the other hand... we have to hit 'em till they drop. If you don't, then they will take you down. And believe me, I'm not gonna let that happen."

Apocalypse walks out and steps aside, as Essex, Autumn, Sage, Archangel, Rogue, Omega Red and Mystique quickly follow him out.

**APOCALYPSE**: "There they are, my Horsemen. They are a hindrance to my cause! They are not worthy of being spared! Destroy them all!!"

Omega Red grins, as Archangel flies up into the air.

**OMEGA RED**: "I was hoping you were going to say that."

**APOCALYPSE**: "Attack!"

Essex, Sage, Autumn, Mystique, Omega Red and Rogue run forward, charging at the X-Men.

**LOGAN**: "Remember, don't let Rogue or Autumn touch any of you! Let's stop 'em now!"

Logan turns to Piotr, as he reverts to Colossus. Logan smirks.

**LOGAN**: "Two words, bub."

Colossus nods and grabs Logan by the back of his collar. Colossus spins around and throws Logan forward, sending him flying right at Omega Red with his claws aimed at his chest. LOGAN ROARS with a berserker rage as his claws stab through Omega Red's armor and into his chest, knocking him down. Logan lands on top of Omega Red with an angry scowl, while the other villains charge at the X-Men.

Beast crouches and leaps right at Essex, knocking him to the ground. Rogue removes her gloves and reaches out to Kitty, but she dives at Rogue and phases through her. Rogue stops and turns to Kitty, kicking her leg at Kitty's chest. Rogue's foot phases through Kitty like a ghost and she jumps back, out of Rogue's reach. Kitty becomes solid again and dodges Rogue, while Omega Red's right coil wraps around Logan's waist and it extends forward, sending him flying back. Omega Red's coil throws Logan away and against a tree behind him. Logan falls and hits the floor, while Omega Red stands up.

As Colossus charges at Omega Red and rams his shoulder against him, Gambit rolls away from Famine and gets to his feet. Famine kicks at Gambit, but he ducks under the kick and catches her leg as it comes over him. Gambit pulls her leg and Autumn hits the ground. Autumn turns to Gambit and gets to her feet, while Mystique fights with Lorna in the background.

**GAMBIT**: "Don't do this, Autumn."

**AUTUMN**: "I go by Famine now. And you're mine!"

Autumn reaches for Gambit, but he grabs her wrists with his gloved hands, stopping her fingers just from reaching his face. Autumn kicks Gambit on the chest and he lets her go as he staggers back. Autumn kicks at Gambit again, but he blocks the kick and quickly knees her on the gut. Autumn is knocked back and she reaches for Gambit again. Gambit blocks her with his gloved hands and steps back as Autumn moves closer. Autumn reaches for Gambit's face, but he ducks and kicks low, his leg hitting her behind her ankles. The kick knocks Autumn down to the floor.

Meanwhile, Beast backflips as Essex fires an energy blast at him. Essex fires again and it hits Beast on his gut, knocking him to the floor. Red energy glows around Essex's hands, preparing to fire, but an icy mist is fired from nearby and covers over Essex's hands. Essex turns and notices Bobby nearby. Essex sneers and his eyes and hands shine with red energy.

**ESSEX**: "You foolish young man."

The energy breaks the ice off his hands and Essex fires an energy blast at Bobby. Bobby ducks and barely misses the blast, as Beast leaps forward.

**BEAST**: "NO!"

Beast kicks his legs forward and his feet hit Essex's chest, knocking him to the floor. Beast lands crouched, as Bobby gets to his feet. Bobby turns and notices Storm dueling with Mystique. Bobby also notices Apocalypse standing by, watching the fight.

**BOBBY**: "Why isn't that guy fighting?"

**ESSEX**: "Lord Apocalypse does not need to soil his hands on dealing with specks like you two!"

**BEAST**: "Says the speck who just knocked you to the ground."

Essex sneers and aims his hands forward, firing one blast at Bobby and one at Beast. Both X-Men are knocked back and they hit the ground.

Nearby, Kitty blocks Rogue's kick to her face and she pushes her foot back. Rogue kicks again, but Kitty leaps back from her reach.

**KITTY**: "Rogue, don't do this! Let us help you!"

Rogue sneers and lunges for Kitty, reaching for her face. Kitty leaps at Rogue and through her, rolling on the ground. Rogue spins around to Kitty and kicks her across the jaw, knocking her back. Rogue reaches for Kitty, but Carol flies at her and catches Kitty in her arms. Carol flies off with Kitty before Rogue can reach her and Rogue looks up, watching Carol fly down to another part of the back yard.

**KITTY**: "I have to reach her."

**CAROL**: "She almost got to you and you would've been drained. Let us handle Rogue."

**KITTY**: "Then who do I deal with?"

Carol sets Kitty down on the floor, noticing the fights nearby.

**CAROL**: "I'm sure you can find someone. I've already got a Horseman to get through to myself."

Carol turns and notices Warren hovering high in the air, firing two metal blades down at Beast and Bobby. Beast and Bobby move aside and the blades miss, hitting the ground. Carol flies into the air and flies right at Warren.

**CAROL**: "Forgive me, Warren."

As Carol reaches Warren, she collides against him and knocks him aside. Warren turns to Carol blankly and sneers at her.

**CAROL**: 'Warren, stop this!"

Two metal feather-shaped blades emerge from Warren's wings and aim forward at Carol. Warren fires the blades at Carol, but she flies aside and the blades miss.

Nearby, Mystique kicks Storm on her chest and the kick knocks her back. Mystique kicks at her face, but Storm blocks it and punches Mystique across the jaw. Mystique staggers back and Storm punches at her again. Mystique blocks it and jabs Storm on her gut. Storm steps back from the hit and Mystique spins around, kicking her foot across Storm's face. Storm staggers back and Mystique turns to Storm with a grin. Mystique kicks at Storm, but she catches her foot and grabs it tight. Storm's eyes lose their pupils and go completely white.

**STORM**: "That... was a mistake."

Storm punches Mystique across the jaw and it knocks her back. Storm then shoves her hand forward, palm out, at Mystique's chest. As Storm's hand hits Mystique, a blast of lightning fires from her fingertips and hits Mystique. MYSTIQUE SCREAMS as the blast sends her flying back. Nearby, Essex ducks from Bobby's ice blast and stands up. Essex prepares to fire an energy blast at him, when Mystique collides against him and they hit the ground.

Elsewhere, Omega Red already has his left coil wrapped around Colossus's waist and white energy flows from the coil into Colossus. Colossus strains, as Omega Red's coil pulls him towards him slowly.

**OMEGA RED**: "You really think that a child such as you could really prove a match for my power?"

**COLOSSUS**: (grunts) "Let us see, _comrade_."

Colossus grabs the coil and pulls Omega Red to him. When he is close enough, Colossus head-butts Omega Red and the hit knocks him back. Omega Red hits the floor and his coil releases Colossus. Omega Red stands up and lashes his coil at Colossus. Colossus dodges the coil and charges at Omega Red. He delivers an uppercut to Omega Red's jaw and the hit knocks him back. Omega Red regains his balance and ducks, barely dodging Colossus's right hook to his jaw. Omega Red's coil wraps around Colossus's ankles and pulls, tripping him. As Colossus hits the ground, the sound of a SNIKT rings from behind and Logan leaps at Omega Red from behind. His claws dig into Omega Red's shoulder blades and knocks him forward, making his coil release Colossus. OMEGA RED GRUNTS from the hit. Logan gets off of Omega Red, as his coils reach back and try to grab him. Logan kicks Omega Red on his lower back and knocks him forward. Colossus gets to his feet and turns to Logan.

**LOGAN**: "Go on, kid. I've got him."

**OMEGA RED**: "Do not make me laugh, Logan. You never could stop me alone!"

**LOGAN**: "That was then, bub. This time's different."

**OMEGA RED**: "We will see."

Omega Red lashes his coils at Logan, but he dodges them and leaps at Omega Red, delivering a kick to his chest. Omega Red is knocked back and against the wall of the Senate building.

**COLOSSUS**: "Wolverine, I can help you."

**LOGAN**: "You can... by helping them! Go on!"

Colossus turns and notices the others already in battle. Gambit continues to fight Famine, while Sage fights Lorna and Mystique resumes her fight with Storm. Colossus turns to Logan, as he fights with Omega Red, and he runs off to the back yard to the fights in progress.

Sage, meanwhile, blocks Lorna's kick and then delivers a punch to her jaw. Lorna staggers back and punches at Sage, but she blocks it. Sage smiles, as she blocks Lorna's uppercut. Sage delivers a punch to Lorna's jaw and then kicks her on her gut. Lorna falls to the ground and lands on her back. Lorna flinches and Sage stomps her foot down at her face. Lorna rolls aside and barely misses Sage's foot. Lorna gets up and punches at Sage again and again. Sage blocks each punch and kicks Lorna on her gut. Lorna staggers back and Sage delivers a punch across her jaw. Lorna is knocked back, but she regains her balance. Sage punches at her, but Lorna blocks it and delivers a punch to her jaw. Sage catches her fist and she stops Lorna's punch.

**SAGE**: "Nice try. I'm a telepath. I can read your mind and know what move you'll use against me."

Sage delivers a punch to Lorna's jaw and she staggers back.

**LORNA**: (grunts) "Then why don't you use it to knock us all out or something?"

**SAGE**: "Apocalypse wants us to have fun with you first before we kill you. Who am I to disobey him?"

Sage pauses and turns around, just as Bobby fires an icy mist at her. The mist freezes over her arms, pinning them together.

**BOBBY**: "I saw you were having problems landing a punch. Try it now."

Sage turns back to Lorna and she delivers a haymaker to Sage's jaw. Sage is knocked back and she hits the ground.

**LORNA**: "Thanks, Bobby. Problem solved."

Lorna looks up and notices Warren flying after Carol, firing feather-shaped blades from his wings at her. Carol dodges the blasts and tries to lose Warren, but can't.

**LORNA**: "Keep an eye on the lady for me. I need to help Miss Marvel out."

Lorna hovers in the air and holds up her hands. Warren fires two more feathered blades at Carol, but Lorna stops them from reaching her with her magnetic powers. Warren stops flying after Carol and hovers in the air, turning to face Lorna.

Warren stiffens and tenses, as his wings suddenly stop moving. Lorna lowers her hands and slowly lowers Warren down from the air. Carol stops flying and turns to Lorna.

**LORNA**: "Go on and help the others! I'll keep Warren out of the fight!"

Carol nods and flies down, as Lorna hovers down to the ground.

Nearby, Autumn somersaults and barely dodges Gambit's thrown energized card. The poker card hits a nearby tree and explodes, making a hole the size of a baseball in it. Autumn somersaults away again, as Gambit throws an energized poker card at Autumn again.

The card misses and hits the wall of another building several feet behind Autumn. The card explodes and makes a small hole in the wall. Autumn lands on her feet and Gambit holds up two poker cards in each hand, charging them with red energy. Gambit's eyes glow red and he smiles at Autumn.

**GAMBIT**: "Sorry, girl, but losing is not my style."

Autumn smiles and Gambit looks puzzled. He turns around and sees Rogue grab at his face. Gambit ducks and rolls back from her, dropping his poker cards doing so. Gambit gets to one knee and looks at Rogue in concern.

**GAMBIT**: "Come on, cherie! Snap out of it! You know I don't wanna fight you!"

Rogue sneers and reaches for Gambit. Gambit grabs her wrists and stops her. Rogue leans forward and tries to kiss Gambit. Gambit pulls back, struggling to keep Rogue back.

**GAMBIT**: "Mercy, girl. This maybe th' only time I'm resisting trying t' kiss you."

Gambit turns and shoves Rogue aside. Rogue stands next to Autumn, as Gambit steps back and holds up two poker cards in his hand.

**GAMBIT**: "I don't want t' hurt you."

Rogue steps forward to Gambit, but stops and looks at him a moment. Gambit looks at Rogue, puzzled, and then he smiles.

**GAMBIT**: "You can't hurt me, can you? You must be starting to fight it, aren't you?"

**ESSEX**: "Actually, she's distracting you."

Gambit turns around and is hit on the chest by a red energy blast. Gambit falls and hits the ground before Famine and Rogue, as Essex stands nearby and holds up his hands as they glow with red energy.

**ESSEX**: "That did the trick quite nicely. Finish off the swamp rat, Death, and then let's finish the rest of these X-Men off."

Rogue nods and reaches down to touch Gambit. A blast of icy mist rushes over her hands and freezes them together in a chunk of ice. Rogue steps back, flinching, and Autumn turns around. Bobby backhands Autumn across the jaw and she falls to the floor. Essex holds up his hands, but Bobby holds his hands up first and fires a quick blast of icy mist at Essex. The blast shoves Essex backwards and he hits the floor, as Gambit gets to his feet.

**GAMBIT**: "Look out!"

Bobby turns and sees Rogue punch him across the jaw with her icy hands. Bobby falls to the floor, unconscious, and Rogue looks over at the tree nearby. Rogue runs to the tree and slams her frozen hands against it, trying to break the ice off her hands. Autumn rubs her chin and stands up, just as Gambit leaps at her. Gambit kicks Autumn on the face and the kick knocks her down, rendering Autumn unconscious. Gambit turns to Rogue, as she still slams her hands against the tree. The ice starts to crack as she bashes it against the tree.

**GAMBIT**: "Stop!"

Rogue shivers and sneers, as she slams the block of ice against the tree one last time. The impact breaks the ice off of Rogue's hands and she quickly rubs them, trying to shake off the cold. Gambit runs over to Rogue, but Essex gets up and fires an energy blast at him. The energy beam hits Gambit's side and shoves him to the floor, landing stunned next to Bobby. Gambit rolls onto his side and tries to get up, but falls to the ground. Essex walks to Gambit and stands before him.

**ESSEX**: "End of the line, Cajun."

Carol flies at Essex from behind and she delivers a punch to his back, knocking him over Gambit. Essex falls and hits the ground, stunned.

**CAROL**: "Back off!"

Carol turns and offers her hand down to Gambit.

**ESSEX**: "Grab her, Death!"

**GAMBIT**: (snaps) "No!!! _Look out!!!_"

Carol turns around and Rogue leaps onto her back, holding onto her. Carol tries to shake Rogue off, as Rogue's bare hands grab her neck and face. Carol tenses and starts CHOKING as Rogue starts to hover off the ground, flying overhead. Gambit gets to his feet, but Essex approaches from behind and kicks Gambit aside. Essex looks up and smiles at Rogue, as she hovers higher and higher in the air. Gambit pulls three poker cards out of his trench coat and turns to Essex.

**ESSEX**: "Yes."

**GAMBIT**: "_NO!!!_"

Gambit tosses the three energized poker cards and they hit Essex on his chest and ribs. The cards explode and shove Essex backwards, sending him falling to the floor. Gambit turns and notices Lorna keeping Warren pinned down.

**GAMBIT**: (yells) "LORNA, HELP HER!"

Lorna turns and looks up, noticing Rogue with Carol.

**LORNA**: "Oh, God."

Lorna hovers in the air and flies over to their direction, noticing Rogue looking equally drained. Warren lets out an evil grin, as the magnetic hold over his wings disappears. Warren tries to fly into the air, when Beast grabs his arms from behind.

**BEAST**: "No, Warren! Don't!!"

Beast stops and looks up, noticing Carol convulsing as Rogue flies above a nearby office building.

**BEAST**: "Oh, my stars and garters."

Carol shakes in Rogue's grip, as Rogue strains to keep hovering. Rogue is also CHOKING and she GASPS for air. Carol is weakly GASPING for air, the contact between her and Rogue growing too intense for either to handle. Rogue stiffens and hovers in the air, tears forming in her widened eyes, while Carol passes out. Rogue lets out incessant, weak GASPS, trying to keep floating in the air. Lorna flies to Rogue and Carol, just as Rogue's eyes roll back in her head. Rogue collapses with Carol and they fall out of the sky.

**LORNA**: (yells) "NOOOOOOOO!!!"

Nearby, Storm kicks Mystique on her chest and knocks her to the ground. Storm turns and sees Rogue and Carol quickly plummet to the building. Both women smash through the rooftop and land inside. Storm looks on in shock.

**STORM**: (whispers) "By the Goddess."

Gambit looks on in shock at the office building ahead.

**GAMBIT**: (yells) "ROGUE! NO!!!"

Gambit starts to run forward, but Essex fires an energy blast at his back and the hit knocks Gambit forward to the ground. Gambit hits the grassy ground, dazed.

* * *

Inside the board room of the office building, Rogue lies unconscious on the ground of the empty room, landing between the broken halves of a table she landed on. The clock on the wall reads 7:25. ROGUE MOANS in pain, but doesn't awaken. Carol lies on the ground next to her, lying on her side. Carol is now deathly pale and barely breathing. 


	22. Chapter 22 Logan vs Omega Red

In the back yard of the Senate building, Gambit lies flat on his back, stunned from the previous hit. Essex walks to Gambit, his hands glowing with red energy, and he stands before him.

**ESSEX**: "Now then, where were we?"

**SCOTT**: "Stop!"

Essex turns around, his back turned to Gambit, and Essex looks ahead in shock.

**ESSEX**: "You?!?"

A beam of red energy suddenly hits Essex's chest and slams him backwards a few dozen feet, sending him flying over Gambit. The beam shoves Essex against a tree in the distance and the beam ends, sending Essex falling to the floor. Essex lands on the ground, dazed. Gambit finally sits up and he looks at Scott and Alex, standing several feet before him. Alex and Scott are now wearing their own black leather X-Men uniforms. Scott is now wearing a thin black visor over his eyes with a horizontal red slit over his eyes to let him see out of it. Scott stands before Gambit and holds out his hand. Gambit smiles and takes his hand. Scott pulls Gambit up to his feet.

**GAMBIT**: "Cyclops, I presume."

**SCOTT**: "I am. And you are?"

**GAMBIT**: "The name's Gambit. Nice of you to join the party."

Scott nods and Gambit looks in realization.

**GAMBIT**: "Rogue! We need to help her!"

**SCOTT**: "Don't worry about Rogue. She's about to get the help she needs."

* * *

In the office building's board room, Xavier, Jean and Moira stand in the open doorway. Moira looks at Rogue and Carol in shock.

MOIRA: "Oh, God, Charles. Are they...?"

**JEAN**: "No. I can barely sense Carol, but she's alive. But Rogue... I have to help her."

**XAVIER**: "Be careful, Jean. This is a big risk you're taking."

Jean walks over to Rogue and crouches beside her.

**JEAN**: "I have to do this, Professor. She needs my help."

Jean sets her gloved hands on the sides of Rogue's head and she lowers her own head. Jean shuts her eyes and pauses for a moment, concentrating.

**MOIRA**: "What is she doing, Charles?"

**XAVIER**: "She's restoring Rogue back to her normal self. She's undoing the corruption and damage that Essex and Apocalypse have done to her mind."

Jean tenses, her eyes shutting tighter. Jean starts to twitch and MOANS. Moira steps forward, but Xavier gently grabs her arm and stops her.

**XAVIER**: "Don't. If you try and break their mental contact, it could make things worse. Let her finish helping Rogue."

Jean holds onto Rogue for several seconds and twitches for a moment. Jean finally releases Rogue, dazed herself, and both women fall to the floor. Jean turns aside, rubbing her head, while Rogue lies next to Carol. ROGUE MOANS as she starts to awaken. Xavier and Moira approach Jean and stop before her. Jean looks up at them and nods.

**JEAN**: "She's back, Professor."

Jean turns to Rogue, as Rogue holds the side of her head and flinches.

**ROGUE**: (grunts) "My head..."

Rogue opens her eyes and pushes herself up, getting to all fours. Rogue looks down and notices Carol lying before her.

**ROGUE**: "Miss Danvers?"

Rogue looks at her bare hands and then at Carol.

**ROGUE**: (whispers) "Oh, no. No, no..."

Rogue looks at herself, noticing her own clothes, and feeling frantically for anything in the pockets. Rogue pulls out her gloves from her pants pocket and puts them on. Rogue shakes Carol's shoulder and eyes her in concern.

**ROGUE**: "Miss Danvers?" (beat) "Miss Danvers? Come on. Wake up."

Rogue stops and nothing happens. Carol lies on the floor and she shakes her shoulder. Rogue eyes her nervously, tears running down her face.

**ROGUE**: "Please. Wake up. Tell me you're okay."

Xavier, Moira and Jean look at Rogue in concern, as she stares at Carol sadly. Rogue gently shakes Carol's shoulder with her gloved hand again and nothing happens.

**ROGUE**: (sobbing) "Please..."

Rogue lowers her head and shuts her eyes tight, wrapping her arms around her chest.

**ROGUE**: (whispers) "Please say I didn't kill you."

Xavier and Jean exchange sad looks and then they turn to Rogue. Jean walks over to Rogue and sets her gloved hand on her shoulder.

**JEAN**: (softly) "Rogue?"

Rogue turns and looks at Jean, shocked.

ROGUE SCREAMS and she scrambles back against the wall. Jean steps back and holds up her hands.

**JEAN**: "It's okay. It's okay, Rogue. I'm not going to hurt you. I'm the one who helped you."

Rogue pauses a moment, out of breath as she stares at Jean wide eyed.

**ROGUE**: (panting) "You helped me?"

**XAVIER**: "It's true."

Rogue turns her head, finally noticing Moira and Xavier. Xavier wheels forward and stops before Rogue.

**ROGUE**: "Professor? But... but how is she alive?"

**XAVIER**: "I'll explain that later. What I can say for sure is that Jean has undone the mental control that Apocalypse placed over your mind. You're back now."

Rogue stares at Xavier a moment and then she looks at Jean. Rogue shuts her eyes and lowers her head as she starts CRYING.

**ROGUE**: (whispers) "What have I done?"

**XAVIER**: "It wasn't you, Rogue. You were under mind control. There's nothing you could've done to stop yourself."

Rogue looks up at Xavier, Jean and Moira.

**ROGUE**: "What's happened?"

**XAVIER**: "The other X-Men are right outside, Rogue, and they need our help. They need YOUR help. Please, help us stop Apocalypse before he causes any more damage."

Rogue looks at Xavier a moment and then down at her gloved hands. Rogue leans back against the wall, trembling.

**ROGUE**: "I..."

**XAVIER**: "I know. But you'll be all right." (beat) "Trust me."

Rogue stares at her hands a minute and then looks up at Xavier.

* * *

In the back yard of the Senate building, Warren tries to shake Beast off of him, but his grip is too strong.

**BEAST**: "Warren, please! Don't fight me!"

Warren sneers and his wings unfurl, knocking Beast off of him. Beast hits the ground and Warren turns around. Warren fires two metal feather-shaped blades out of his wings and at Beast, but he leaps aside and the blades stab into the grass instead. Beast lands on the ground near some bushes and he turns around, noticing Storm fighting with Mystique.

Storm kicks at Mystique, but she blocks it and punches Storm across the jaw. Storm staggers back and Mystique kicks her again, hitting her on her gut. Storm is knocked down and she hits the ground. Beast leaps forward and tackles Mystique, sending both falling to the ground. Storm sits up and notices Beast.

**BEAST**: "Forgive my intrusion, madam, but I simply cannot allow you to hurt my friend."

**MYSTIQUE**: "What about her?"

Beast and Storm turn around and see Sage standing behind Storm, with the ice frozen over her now broken off. Chunks of broken ice lie on the grass behind Sage, as she kicks Storm on her face. Storm is knocked down to the ground and Sage sneers at Beast. As Beast stands up, he stops moving and GRUNTS as he holds his head in pain.

**SAGE**: "I heard you have quite a high IQ, Dr. McCoy. Such a shame I have to reduce such an impressive scientific intellect to that of a blithering imbecile."

Storm's eyes go white and she sneers at Sage. Sage turns to Storm, just as she shoves her hands forward. Storm's palms collide onto Sage's gut and they shoot a lightning bolt into her body. Sage is shoved backwards and she hits the ground, stunned. Sage twitches, stunned from the shock, and Beast shakes his head. Storm gets up and goes to Beast, as Mystique gets to her feet. Storm looks up at Mystique and then looks she smiles.

**MYSTIQUE**: "What are you smiling at?"

**KITTY**: "Me."

Mystique turns around and sees Kitty behind her. Kitty punches Mystique across the jaw and she staggers back. Mystique regains her footing and sneers at Kitty. Mystique punches at her, but her foot passes through Kitty like a ghost. Mystique kicks at Kitty again, but she dodges it and punches Mystique across the jaw. Mystique hits the ground and Kitty grins.

**KITTY**: "I think I'm getting the hang of this."

**STORM**: "Look out!!"

Autumn stands behind Kitty and she grabs her face. Kitty tenses, as Autumn's energy flows into her.

**AUTUMN**: "You can't phase through my hands once I have hold you, Kitty. I'm taking you out!"

Kitty grabs at Autumn's wrists, trying to pull her off. Kitty falls to her knees, tensing. KITTY GRUNTS in pain as Autumn's famine touch intensifies. Storm steps forward, but stops as two hands grab Autumn's wrists from behind. The hands turn to metal and their grip tightens, cracking Autumn's wrists and forcing her to let Kitty go. AUTUMN GRUNTS as Colossus looms behind her and pulls her back by her arms.

**COLOSSUS**: "It would be wise for you to leave Katya alone... now!"

Colossus turns and throws Autumn aside, making her hit a tree. Autumn falls and hits the ground, dazed. Colossus reverts to his normal form of Piotr and he crouches beside Kitty. KITTY MOANS and Piotr picks Kitty up, holding her in his arms.

**BEAST**: "Colossus, get her somewhere safe! We'll handle this!"

Piotr nods and hurries off with Kitty, running away from the back yard. Nearby, Mystique helps Sage up to her feet and they look around. Down the other end of the back yard, Scott is fighting Essex. Scott shoots an optic blast at Essex, but he dodges it. Mystique turns from her left to her right and notices Warren hovering in the air. He is firing blades from his wings down at Alex, but he dodges Warren's attacks and the blades hit the grassy ground instead.

**MYSTIQUE**: "How did Cyclops and Alex get here?"

**SAGE**: "We'll talk about that later. Right now, we have other things to be concerned about."

**MYSTIQUE**: "What about Death? We should get her back."

**SAGE**: "Wait a minute. If the Summers brothers are here, where is she?"

Storm helps Beast up to his feet, as they turn to Mystique and Sage.

**STORM**: "She who?"

Mystique and Sage turn around and suddenly stiffen. Both women are levitated up off the ground and they are suddenly pushed back, sent flying to the Senate building in the distance. The two hit the wall and fall, unconscious. Beast and Storm turn around and look on in shock. Jean stands nearby, with Xavier, Moira and Rogue gathered around her. Lorna stands next to Rogue, as Beast and Storm stare at them wide-eyed.

**LORNA**: "Hey. Look who I found."

**STORM**: (whispers) "Jean?"

Jean lowers her hands and smiles at Storm and Beast.

**JEAN**: "Hello, Ororo. Hello, Hank. It's good to see you both."

Beast and Storm stare at Jean for a moment, stunned.

**BEAST**: "Hmm. Although your codename was at one point Phoenix, I trust you'll understand why your sudden resurrection is still such a surprise to me, Jean."

Jean smiles, as Rogue looks ahead in concern.

**ROGUE**: "Oh, no! Warren!"

**XAVIER**: "We'll take care of him, Rogue. I suggest you help Logan with Omega Red. I'll get you help shortly."

Rogue looks at her gloved hands and then she turns to Xavier. Rogue nods at him sadly and then she runs off to the Senate building. As Rogue runs off, Lorna and Jean turn to Warren. Jean holds up her hand and Warren suddenly pauses, unable to move as he hovers in the air.

**JEAN**: "Forgive me, Warren."

Jean shuts her eyes a moment and Warren stiffens, rendered unconscious by her telepathy. Jean opens her eyes and pulls him to her with her telekinesis. Jean tenses and staggers back, but Lorna grabs her arm and keeps her up.

**XAVIER**: "Easy, Jean. Slow down."

Warren hovers down and lies on his back on the floor, his wings retracted. Jean staggers back and Moira and Lorna hold onto her to keep her standing.

**STORM**: "Is she okay?"

**XAVIER**: "She's only been alive for a few hours, Storm. She's in good health, but her body is worn out and she's getting used to moving again."

**JEAN**: "I'll be fine. I'll just help Angel and then I can rest."

**XAVIER**: "Be careful, Jean."

Alex walks over and stands next to Storm and Beast. Jean puts her hands on the sides of Warren's head and closes her eyes, concentrating.

**STORM**: "Alex, are you okay?"

**ALEX**: "Yeah, I'm fine."

**BEAST**: "Where are Remy and Bobby?"

Alex turns and looks over at the office building, with Gambit seated on the front porch next to the entry stairs. Bobby lies unconscious on the bench to Gambit's right, with Gambit keeping watch.

**ALEX**: "He's keeping an eye on Bobby until he wakes up. What about Logan? Where did he go?"

* * *

In the Senate building, the doorway to a large, wide, empty basement is knocked off its hinges as Logan is thrown backwards into the room. He is sent flying back a few dozen feet and GRUNTS as he hits the wall. Logan collapses to the ground and Omega Red steps into the room. Logan gets up and pops his claws back out of his knuckles with a SNIKT.

**OMEGA RED**: "You have gotten slow since our last encounter, Wolverine. It seems a shame that our rematch came so late when you got so weak."

**LOGAN**: "Why don't you step closer and see just how weak I am, punk?"

**OMEGA RED**: "Delighted to oblige."

Omega Red lashes his left coil at Logan and he dodges it, then Omega Red flicks his right coil low at Logan's ankles. Logan leaps over the coil and GROWLS as he leaps at Omega Red. Logan quickly jabs his right fist forward and impaling his claws into Omega Red's gut. Omega Red sneers and his coils retreat back in length. Omega Red backhands Logan and knocks him back. Omega Red uppercuts Logan under his chin and he knocks him back several steps. Logan regains his balance, as Omega Red lashes his coil at Logan's chest. The coil tears through Logan's X-uniform and his skin, drawing blood. Logan flinches, but lunges forward and slashes his claws at Omega Red's face. He leans his head aside, barely missing Logan's claws, and jabs Logan in the gut, stabbing his gut with the tip of his coil.

Logan flinches as Omega Red's coil extends up in length and pushes Logan into the air. Logan is shoved against the ceiling back-first and he GRUNTS as he cracks it upon impact. The coil then pulls back from the ceiling and snaps to the side, bucking Logan off of the tip and across the room. Logan collides onto the back wall of the room and hits the ground, flinching. Blood flows down Logan's stab wound and stains his X-suit, before the wound seals closed by itself. Omega Red lashes his left coil at Logan, but he leaps aside and dodges it. Omega Red flicks his right coil at Logan and it snaps down onto Logan's left shoulder. Logan flinches, but the long cut made from the hit heals and seals itself closed.

Omega Red lashes his right coil ahead again, as Logan charges at him. Logan blocks Omega Red's coil with his left fist's claws and he slashes his right fist's claws across the left side of Omega Red's face, raising three bloody cuts on his cheek. Omega Red flinches as he staggers back and Logan slashes his claws at Omega Red again. Omega Red kicks his foot ahead and it hits Logan's chest, pushing him back before Logan's claws can reach him. The cuts on Omega Red's face heal and fade away on their own, as he grins at Logan. Logan slashes his claws at Omega Red again and again, but Omega Red dodges them and his left coil swats in front of Logan, slapping him back as it cuts across his stomach. Logan staggers back and Omega Red delivers a backhand to Logan's face. Logan blocks it and pulls Omega Red forward by his arm. Logan scowls and ROARS with a fit of berserker rage as he turns and throws Omega Red away. Omega Red is thrown at the back wall and hits it back-first. Omega Red hits the ground, as Logan's bloody welt across his gut heals and fades away like the others. Logan charges at Omega Red, as he gets to one knee. Omega Red sneers and his coils dig down into the floor.

Omega Red's coils extend forward from underground, pushing the ground up with their movements, and then they extend up out from underground. The coils stab forward from out of the ground and rise up diagonally, aiming for Logan. Logan leaps over them and dives at Omega Red. LOGAN GROWLS with anger as his claws hit Omega Red through the chest and the impact knocks both men backwards, with Omega Red hitting the wall behind him back-first. Omega Red's coils turn back to Logan and wrap around his chest, pulling him backwards and tugging his claws out of Omega Red's chest. Omega Red's coils lunge forward and slam Logan against the ceiling. Logan flinches and white energy flows from the coils into Logan's body.

**OMEGA RED**: "You disappoint me, James. I had expected a much tougher battle."

Rogue steps in through the open doorway, stepping over the broken door. Omega Red looks away from Logan to Rogue and he smiles at her.

**OMEGA RED**: "Ah, Death. How nice of you to join us. I trust you can deliver the final blow to your enemy."

**ROGUE**: "If you insist."

Rogue charges forward and dives at Omega Red. Omega Red's eyes widen with shock as Rogue slams her shoulder against his chest and the impact shoves Omega Red backwards through the wall. As Omega Red lands in the next room, his coils drop Logan and he falls to the ground. Logan lands on his side, dazed and hurt. Rogue turns and crouches beside Logan.

**ROGUE**: "Logan! Oh, God. Are you okay?"

LOGAN COUGHS as he turns and looks over his shoulder at Rogue.

**LOGAN**: "You mind telling me what you just did there?"

Rogue reaches her hand down to Logan, but stops as Omega Red's coils lash at her from behind and hits across her back. ROGUE GRUNTS from the hit as it tears through her uniform and her skin. She looks over her shoulder as Omega Red stands up and he flicks his coils at Rogue again. The coils slice diagonally into Rogue's upper back, raising long, thin bloody slashes in her skin. Rogue flinches and turns around to face Omega Red.

**OMEGA RED**: "You traitorous _bitch!!_"

Omega Red lashes his coils at Rogue again, but she dodges them and they hit the ground near Logan. Logan rolls aside from the coils and they hit the ground instead. Omega Red swats his coils at Rogue, with one wrapping around her arms and the other wrapping around her ankles. Omega Red's coils retreat back and trip Rogue. Rogue lands on her back on the floor, flinching, and the coils slowly pull her forward to Omega Red.

**OMEGA RED**: "You dare to oppose the forces of our lord Apocalypse?"

Omega Red's coils shine with white energy and the energy flows into Rogue. Rogue flinches, trying to get loose.

**OMEGA RED**: "You will pay for your disobedience!! Once I deal with you..."

**LOGAN**: "Who said you were done with me?"

Omega Red looks up and Logan tackles Omega Red to the ground. He hits the ground and his coils release Rogue. Rogue quickly sits up and shakes her head, stunned. Omega Red kicks Logan off of him and he gets to his feet. Omega Red swats his coil at Logan, but he leaps back from it.

**OMEGA RED**: "I have not forgotten about you, James. But I will deal with one weakling at a time."

**ROGUE**: "Who you calling weakling?"

Rogue charges behind Omega Red and she delivers a jab to his back, knocking him forward. Omega Red turns around and lashes his coil at Rogue, but she dodges it and delivers a punch to Omega Red's gut. Omega Red staggers back and flinches from the hit. Rogue quickly delivers a punch to his chest with her left fist and then a right cross to Omega Red's jaw, shoving him across the room. Omega Red falls and hits the ground, dazed. Omega Red turns to Rogue and gets to his feet, as Logan stands beside Rogue.

**LOGAN**: "I've got him, kid."

**ROGUE**: "Hold on. We're waiting for back up."

**OMEGA RED**: "Oh? And who could possibly help you stop me?"

As if in answer, three small explosions hit Omega Red's back and shove him forward to the ground. Gambit and Bobby stand in the doorway behind him, with three poker cards held in each of Gambit's hands.

**GAMBIT**: "Us."

Omega Red turns around and raises his hand back to strike with his coil, but Gambit throws two more poker cards at his chest and the impact pushes him back several steps. Omega Red sneers and lashes his coil around Gambit's arms quickly. Omega Red turns and throws Gambit in the air. Rogue leaps up and flies at Gambit.

**ROGUE**: "GAMBIT, _NO!!!_"

Rogue catches Gambit in her arms and hovers in the air with him. Bobby, Logan, Gambit and even Omega Red are stunned by Rogue's sudden flight. Omega Red sneers in realization.

**OMEGA RED**: "So, it seems you've taken on some of Miss Marvel's capabilities."

Rogue hovers down and sets Gambit down, as she flies at Omega Red.

**ROGUE**: "Here. Let me give you a small sample of what I can do."

Rogue delivers a right hook to Omega Red's jaw and he is sent flying backwards. Bobby steps aside and Omega Red flies back past him and out of the open doorway. Omega Red hits the wall in the hallway and then hits the ground. Rogue lands on her feet and walks to Gambit.

**ROGUE**: "Are you all right?"

Omega Red gets up and lashes his coils at Rogue again, striking up her back to her left shoulder with the left coil and across her lower back with the right coil. Rogue is shoved towards Gambit, flinching from the double hit, and Logan turns to Bobby.

**LOGAN**: "Hey, Bobby. When I say so, hit the guy with all you've got. It slows him down."

**OMEGA RED**: "Nothing these children can do will stop me, Logan! I am unstoppable!!"

**LOGAN**: "Nope. That's just your mouth."

Omega Red sneers and lashes his coils at Logan. Logan dodges them as he charges at Omega Red and he slashes his claws into Omega Red's knees. Omega Red flinches and Logan's claws retreat back in his hands. Logan head-butts Omega Red and he falls to the ground.

**LOGAN**: (snaps) "NOW!!"

Bobby nods and aims his hands at Omega Red, firing a wave of ice over Omega Red's legs. The ice pins Omega Red's legs to the ground and then he fires the ice over his coils. Omega Red looks in shock, as his coils are frozen and pinned to the floor.

**OMEGA RED**: (snaps) "NO! NO!!!"

**GAMBIT**: "Finish it, Ice-Cube. Don't let him get up."

Bobby walks to Omega Red, as he futilely struggles against the ice. Bobby's skin, clothes, hair and even his eyes are covered over in a sheath of ice all their own, as he reverts back to Iceman form.

**ICEMAN**: "That's Ice_man_, LeBeau."

Omega Red struggles to sit up, cracking the ice on his coils. Iceman stands before Omega Red and fires ice into over his coils again and then fires it at Omega Red's body, pinning his upper body and arms down in the ice. Omega Red turns to Bobby and glares in rage.

**OMEGA RED**: "NOOOOO--"

As Omega Red yells, Iceman aims the ice at Omega Red's mouth and freezes him from the _inside_ as well. Iceman sneers in anger, as Omega Red stiffens and stops moving. Iceman's ice blast then flows from the ice in Omega Red's open mouth to his head. Omega Red is frozen from head to toe, and also from the inside, and lies frozen alive on the ground. Iceman stops the blast and turns to Rogue, eyeing her sadly. Gambit and Rogue look over at Iceman, as the sheath of ice fades off of his body and he reverts back to Bobby again. Logan stands next to the frozen Omega Red and looks at him. Logan then looks up at Bobby and nods.

**LOGAN**: "Nice work. You did good."

Logan looks at Rogue and notices the bloody slashes that are dug in her back. Logan walks to Rogue, as she looks at him sadly.

**LOGAN**: "Welcome back, kid. How are you feeling?"

Rogue forces a sad smile.

**ROGUE**: "Swell."

Logan nods and removes his gloves.

**LOGAN**: "I know you're hurtin', kid. I can make the pain stop."

Rogue steps back from Logan, nervous. Logan looks at Rogue in concern, as tears form in her eyes.

**ROGUE**: "No, Logan. Don't do it."

**LOGAN**: "Kid, I was just..."

**ROGUE**: (snaps) "Just get away from me!"

Rogue backs up and wraps her arms around her, as she starts to CRY.

**ROGUE**: (sobbing) "Don't touch me."

Logan stops and looks at Rogue in concern. Rogue lowers her head and shuts her eyes, as she hovers a few feet off the ground and trembles.

**BOBBY**: "Rogue, what is it? What--"

Bobby steps forward but Logan sets his hand on his chest and stops him. Logan looks at Rogue in concern.

**LOGAN**: "She's scared, Bobby. Something bad has happened." (beat) "I just wanted to help you, kid."

**ROGUE**: "I know. But you can't. None of you can."

Logan sniffs the air and pauses a moment, stunned. Logan steps forward to Rogue and sniffs at her direction.

**LOGAN**: "It can't be."

Rogue opens her eyes and looks up at Logan. Logan turns around to the doorway, shocked.

**LOGAN**: (whispers) "Jean?"


	23. Chapter 23 Final battle

In the back yard of the Senate building, two cameramen and a blonde reporter, JILL HARRIS, hide behind a tree near the office building. They look on as Storm continues her fight with Mystique. 

**JILL**: "I can't believe you talked me into this."

**CAMERAMAN**: "We're the only press members that haven't taken off yet, boss. This is a hell of an exclusive for us to record live since we're the only ones left here."

Jill nods and turns to the Cameramen, pointing to the fights in progress around the area.

**JILL**: "For those of you just joining us, Channel Eight News is filming the mutant attack in progress after it broke out in the Senate hearing. The President and Mr. Trask were among the first to successfully escape, along with several other reporters and photographers. All of the secret service agents assigned to guard this hearing were found either unconscious or dead throughout the area, some literally starved to death and others fatally drained by some kind of sickness."

Jill turns and looks over at Apocalypse. The Cameraman turns to Apocalypse and films him, as he stares ahead at the battles in progress.

**JILL**: "The only one who has yet to join the fight is, in fact, the leader of these mutant criminals, who calls himself Apocalypse."

Jill and the Cameraman turn to the right, as Essex continues to dodge Scott's attacks.

**JILL**: "As you can see, several other mutants had joined the battle just minutes ago and are continuing their confrontation."

Elsewhere, Scott fires another optic blast at Essex and he dodges it. Essex leaps at Scott and grabs his wrists, stopping him from firing more eyebeams.

**ESSEX**: "Don't fight me, Scott. I don't want to hurt you."

**SCOTT**: "You're not getting away with what you've done, Essex!"

**ESSEX**: "All I've ever wanted was to give you what you want. You're everything, Scott. I just wanted what is best for you."

**SCOTT**: "What's best?"

Scott head-butts Essex and he staggers back. Scott punches at Essex's jaw, but he blocks it and moves back. Scott punches at Essex again and again, but he blocks his attacks.

**SCOTT**: "You abducted Rogue and Warren! You allowed Apocalypse to torture them and brainwash them! You kept me, my brother and my resurrected wife prisoner! You killed innocent people and are trying to kill my friends!"

Essex grabs Scott's hands and holds them, stopping him from fighting back. Scott struggles to get loose, but Essex keeps a tight hold over him.

**ESSEX**: "I am trying to help you. I am trying to save you, Alex and Jean from being exterminated. Lord Apocalypse wants only the strong to survive."

**SCOTT**: "I don't need your help."

**ESSEX**: "You will. You just don't know it yet."

Scott sneers and throws Essex aside, making him hit the ground. Scott turns the dials on the sides of his visor and fires an optic blast at Essex. Essex rolls aside and the eyebeam punctures through the ground.

Nearby, Jean sits on her knees with her eyes shut and her hands placed on Warren's head. Jean twitches, tensing, as Xavier and Moira look on. Lorna crouches next to Jean, as Jean grits her teeth and flinches. JEAN MOANS and she lets go of Warren. Jean weakly falls back, but Lorna quickly catches her.

**LORNA**: "Easy, Jean. Easy."

**MOIRA**: "Is she all right?"

**XAVIER**: "She's just exhausted, Moira. We need to let her rest."

Lorna helps Jean sit up and she rubs her head, dazed. Jean lifts her head up and opens her eyes, as footsteps grow closer to her. Logan, Bobby, Gambit and Rogue stand before Jean and she looks at Logan with a soft smile. Logan stares at Jean in shock. Logan pauses a moment, stunned, and Jean nods at him.

**JEAN**: "Hello, Logan."

Logan can only stare at her. She pauses for a moment and gives him a nod.

**JEAN**: "It's me, Logan." (beat) "It's ME."

Logan pauses and his claws slowly slide back into his hands. Logan crouches before Jean and looks at her eyes a moment. Logan sets his hand gently on the side of Jean's face.

**LOGAN**: "Welcome back, Jeannie."

**JEAN**: "Thank you."

Logan looks at his hands and then at Jean.

**LOGAN**: "I'm sorry for... you know."

**JEAN**: "You did what you had to do, Logan. It's all right."

Jean pauses and looks at Rogue. Her smile fades as she eyes Rogue in concern.

**JEAN**: "Rogue, you're hurt."

Moira looks at Rogue and notices the bloody tears on the back of her outfit.

**MOIRA**: "Oh, Rogue. I'll get you to the jet for medical attention."

Rogue steps back nervously and shakes her head.

**ROGUE**: "No. I'm all right. Besides, we're not done here yet. Y'all need me, remember?"

**BOBBY**: "Maybe Moira's right, Rogue. We can handle things here while you get treated."

Bobby takes Rogue's gloved hand in his own and she looks at him. Bobby looks at Rogue with a soft smile.

**BOBBY**: "It's okay. We can handle this."

A faint blasting noise occurs from behind and Rogue turns around. Scott fires an optic blast at Essex, but he dodges it and his hands glow with red energy.

ESSEX: "Forgive me, Scott. You left me no choice."

Essex jabs Scott in the stomach and fires an energy beam at him, pushing Scott backwards.

**BOBBY**: "Cyclops!!"

Scott lies on his back on the floor, dazed, while Essex pauses and turns around. Essex notices the film crew hiding nearby and smiles.

**CAMERAMAN**: "Uh, Jill... this can't be good."

**ESSEX**: "A reporter? How utterly... human."

Essex aims his hands at their direction to fire an energy blast, when Rogue charges at him.

**ROGUE**: "NO!!!"

Essex turns around, as Rogue gets near and punches Essex across the jaw. Essex staggers back, rocked off-balance, and Rogue delivers a left jab to Essex's gut. The energy fades from Essex's hands, as he falls to his knees and holds his gut, doubled over in pain. Rogue sneers and delivers an uppercut to Essex's jaw. Essex falls and hits the ground, stunned. Rogue looks down at Essex and then looks at Jill and her two crew members in concern.

**ROGUE**: "Are y'all okay?"

Jill and the crew members just stare at Rogue a moment, stunned. Jill finally nods.

**ROGUE**: "Good. Then I suggest you go before they try to get you again."

**JILL**: "Come on, let's go, guys!"

Jill backs away and runs off with the two crew members. Rogue turns around and looks over at Scott, as he sits up and rubs his stomach. Rogue gives him a soft smile.

**ROGUE**: "Welcome back, Mr. Summers. Are you okay?"

Scott looks up at Rogue and nods, as he gets to his feet.

**SCOTT**: "Yeah. Thanks."

**ROGUE**: "Don't mention it. Looks like your brother could use some help, though."

Scott turns and looks over to his left at Alex, who is already locked in a fight with Sage. Alex blocks Sage's punch and punches at her jaw. Sage blocks it and knocks Alex back a few steps.

**SCOTT**: "Alex?"

Scott steps forward to join Alex, but Essex kicks at Scott and trips him. Scott hits the ground and he turns around to Essex. Rogue turns to Essex.

**ROGUE**: "Shall I take care of this creep for you?"

**CYCLOPS**: "I appreciate the offer, Rogue, but I can handle him."

**ROGUE**: "All right. I think I can make myself useful elsewhere."

**XAVIER**: "No, Rogue."

Rogue turns and notices Xavier nearby.

**XAVIER**: "Stay here and rest for a few moments. You need to recover...Please."

Rogue SIGHS and nods. Beast leaps aside as Autumn reaches for him, and Apocalypse looks on. He then turns to Warren, as he sits up and rubs his forehead. Moira turns to Warren, as Lorna helps him sit up.

**WARREN**: (grunts) "My head."

**LORNA**: "Warren! How do you feel?"

Warren turns and looks at Lorna in confusion.

**WARREN**: "Lorna? What happened?" (beat) "Where are we?"

**LORNA**: "Warren, a lot has happened the last few weeks."

**WARREN**: "Weeks?"

Warren stops and notices his metal wings. Apocalypse sneers and approaches the X-Men, as Warren stares at his wings in shock.

**WARREN**: "Oh, my God."

**LORNA**: "You'll be all right."

**APOCALYPSE**: "You did this, didn't you?"

Warren looks up at Apocalypse, as he stands before the gathered X-Men.

**WARREN**: "Now I remember. You did this to me."

**APOCALYPSE**: "Yes. I turned you into my magnificent Horseman of War. But now they have made you weak again. You are not worthy of being spared."

Logan stands before Warren and sneers at Apocalypse, as his claws pop out of his fists.

**LOGAN**: "You talk pretty tough for someone who's been standing aside for the entire fight."

**APOCALYPSE**: "It seems a waste of my time to deal with a speck such as you. However, if it's a fight you wish..."

Apocalypse quickly jabs Logan in the gut before he can react, then he grabs him by the collar and quickly spins around, throwing Logan away. Logan is sent flying at the Senate building and slams through the back wall, falling down and landing inside.

**JEAN**: (yells) "LOGAN!!"

Apocalypse turns around, as Warren stands up and hovers in the air, floating up higher and higher off the ground.

**WARREN**: "Why you sick bastard! I'm going to put an end to this now!"

Warren fires two feathered blades from his wings at Apocalypse, but he leans aside and dodges them. Apocalypse quickly raises his right arm and fires an energy beam from his fist, knocking it on Warren's chest. Warren staggers back, dazed, and Jean stands up.

**JEAN**: (snaps) "NO!"

Jean shoves her hands forward and Apocalypse is shoved backwards by her telekinesis, sent flying backwards and smashing back-first through a tree. Apocalypse gets up, unfazed, and approaches Jean. Apocalypse approaches Jean and sneers.

**APOCALYPSE**: "You foolish young woman. You cannot stop me!!"

Apocalypse stops and turns around, as Logan leaps at him from behind. Logan stabs his claws forward and they pierce into Apocalypse's chest. The impact knocks Apocalypse down and he lands on his back to the floor, with Logan scowling at him. Apocalypse kicks Logan off of him and he staggers back. Apocalypse gets up to his feet and Logan slashes his claws at him. Apocalypse blocks Logan's punch and punches him across the jaw. Logan steps back, wincing, and he slashes his claws at Apocalypse again. Apocalypse catches his arm and uppercuts Logan under his chin, flipping him over and sending him falling to the ground. Logan lands on his front, flinching, and Apocalypse stomps his foot down on his back. LOGAN GRUNTS from the pain.

**APOCALYPSE**: "You amuse me, mutant. I cannot be defeated by the likes of you."

Apocalypse looks up, as three energized poker cards are thrown and they hit his chest. The cards explode and the impact shoves Apocalypse back several steps from Logan. Gambit stands several feet before Logan, shuffling a deck of poker cards in his hands. To Gambit's left stands Lorna, while Bobby stands to his right.

**GAMBIT**: "We beg t' differ."

Apocalypse grins, as Logan gets to his feet.

**APOCALYPSE**: "You are only delaying the inevitable."

**LOGAN**: "Wanna bet?"

Apocalypse punches at Logan again, but he blocks it with his right hand and jabs his left fist forward, stabbing his claws into Apocalypse's gut. Apocalypse sneers and backhands Logan, knocking him back. Jean pauses and then turns around, running off to the side.

Elsewhere, Alex blocks Sage's punch and tries to jab his fist on her gut. Sage blocks it and delivers a haymaker to Alex's jaw, knocking him back. Sage then kicks Alex on his chest, knocking him back a few steps. Sage spins around and kicks her leg high at Alex's head. Alex barely dodges the kick and quickly pushes his hand forward, palm out. Alex fires an energy blast from his palm that hits Sage on her chest, shoving her back and to the floor. Sage sits up and sneers, as Alex suddenly stops moving, frozen in place by Sage's telepathic hold. Sage stands up and raises her hand back to strike. Jean catches her fist from behind and Sage turns around to her.

**JEAN**: "Uh-uh."

Jean shoves her free hand forward, palm out, and sends her flying backwards a few dozen feet with her telekinesis. Sage collides against the back wall of the office building and is pinned there, unable to move. Alex staggers forward and rubs his head.

**ALEX**: "Whoa. What was that?"

**JEAN**: "She was keeping you frozen in place with her telepathy. However, I used my own on Rogue to find out about her other power -- to restore dormant mutant powers."

Sage pauses in realization and notices Xavier wheel before her, with Moira at his side.

**JEAN**: "Let's hope this gamble works, Professor."

**XAVIER**: "There's only one way to find out, Jean."

**SAGE**: "No!!"

Xavier grabs Sage's hand and white energy flows from her hand into Xavier. Xavier pauses a moment, tensing, and Moira looks at Xavier in concern.

**MOIRA**: "Charles?"

Xavier lets go of Sage's hand and pauses. Jean shoves her hand forward and her telekinesis shoves Sage back against the wall hard, knocking her out. Sage falls to the floor, while Xavier turns around to Jean and then he smiles.

**XAVIER** (telepathically): "Yes, Jean. It worked."

Jean smiles and looks at Alex.

**ALEX**: "What is it?"

**JEAN**: "The Professor's powers have been permanently restored."

Xavier pauses and looks away.

**XAVIER**: "Scott."

On the other side of the large back yard, Essex blocks Scott's punch to his face and delivers a jab to Scott's gut. Scott staggers back, but Essex pulls Scott forward by his fist and delivers a haymaker across Scott's jaw. Scott staggers back and Essex releases Scott's fist. Scott turns to Essex and barely blocks his punch to his face. Scott turns and flips Essex over, sending him falling to the floor. Essex lands on his back, but rolls aside and turns to Scott, standing. Essex punches at Scott again, but he blocks it with one hand. With his free hand, Scott uppercuts Essex under his chin and he staggers back. Scott quickly kicks his left leg out and his foot hits Essex right on his chest, knocking him back several steps. Essex regains his balance and jabs his left fist, firing an energy beam at Scott's chest. Scott staggers back from the blast, as Essex approaches him.

**ESSEX**: "I don't want to do this, Scott. I don't want to hurt you."

Essex aims both fists forward and fires another blast at Scott's chest. SCOTT GRUNTS as the blast shoves him backwards several feet. Essex ends the double blast and Scott falls, landing on one knee. Scott wraps his arms over his chest, flinching.

**ESSEX**: "This hurts me more than you, Scott. All I want is your happiness."

Scott lifts up his head, as Essex's hands shine with energy. Red steam rises from Scott's eyes beneath his visor.

**SCOTT**: "You should have thought about that before you decided to go after my friends, slime-ball."

Essex fires another blast at Scott and he turns the dials of his visor all the way around. BOOM! An enormous beam of red energy flows from Scott's eyes, like water flowing from a broken fire hydrant. The energy beams collide onto one another and stop in mid-air. Essex strains, trying to push Scott's beam back. Scott sneers and the optic blast continues to push forward, slowly but gaining power. Essex steps forward, but is pushed back a few steps. Essex strains, gritting his teeth, until finally his own energy beams fade away.

BOOM! With Essex's beams gone, Scott's optic blast hits Essex and he SCREAMS in pain as the eyebeam sends him flying backwards. Scott's optic blast pierces through into Essex's chest as it pushes him backwards and towards the back wall of the Senate building. The optic blast shoves Essex back through the wall and...

* * *

BOOM!!

The wide optic blast shoves Essex back through a wall and into the hall of the back hall of the Senate building. The optic blast continues forward and pushes Essex through the wall into the next room, and then through that wall and --

* * *

BOOM!!!

Essex is pushed backwards by the optic blast out into the front yard of the Senate building and the blast finally fades. With the optic blast gone, Essex falls and hits the ground, with green blood oozing from his mouth, his nose and the large gashes in his chest and stomach. Essex is CHOKING as he tries to breathe.

* * *

In the back yard of the Senate building, Scott lowers his head, with red steam rising from his pupils beneath his ruby-quartz visor. Scott pauses and then turns to his right. Jean, Alex, Xavier and Moira are crowded nearby and they stare at him.

**ALEX**: "Whoa. That was..." (beat) "Whoa."

Scott smiles at Alex. He stands and turns his head as he hears the sounds of a battle. Scott notices Storm dodging Mystique's kicks nearby.

**SCOTT**: "Storm."

On the other side of the back yard, Mystique kicks Storm on her stomach and she staggers back. Mystique quickly spins around and kicks Storm across the jaw, knocking her back. Storm regains her balance, as Mystique punches at her. Storm catches Mystique's arm and punches her on her gut. Storm pulls Mystique back to her by her arm, but Mystique strikes first, delivering a punch across Storm's jaw. Storm steps back and releases Mystique's arm. Storm turns back to Mystique and Mystique kicks at her, hitting Storm on her ribs. Storm winces and takes a few steps back, as Mystique delivers a kick to her head. Storm blocks the kick, but Mystique turns and kicks her other foot across Storm's jaw, making her release her foot. Mystique regains her footing, while Storm hits the ground, shutting her eyes. Mystique grins and kicks low at Storm, but she catches her foot and opens her eyes, now completely white. Storm shoves her free hand forward and it hits Mystique's chest, delivering a lightning bolt onto her. The blast knocks Mystique back and she hits the floor, unconscious. Storm stands and looks to her left at Beast in the distance.

Beast dodges Autumn's kick to his head and steps back. Autumn spins around and delivers a flying roundhouse kick to his head. The kick knocks Beast down to the ground and Autumn removes her gloves. Autumn reaches for Beast's face. He catches Autumn by her wrists, stopping her hands just inches from his face.

**AUTUMN**: "Come on, Dr. McCoy. I'll make your defeat quick."

**XAVIER** (telepathically): "Yes, it will be."

Autumn pauses and then twitches. Autumn falls back off of Beast and lands unconscious. Beast sits up and looks over at Xavier and Moira in the distance. Xavier smiles at Hank.

**XAVIER** (telepathically): "I think the others could use your help with Apocalypse."

A gush of wind builds up from behind, letting Storm's cape flow in the wind. The gush of wind builds up and lifts Storm up into the air slowly.

**STORM**: "Then let's go."

Beast nods and leaps away, sailing over a good thirty feet of the back yard, and towards the direction of the X-Men's fight with Apocalypse. Storm flies through the air, following Beast. At one end of the back yard, near the Senate building, Lorna stands near Bobby as he fires a breeze of icy mist at Apocalypse. The icy forms around Apocalypse's arms, pinning them together. Apocalypse sneers and moves his arms against the ice, breaking it off from his body easily. Apocalypse fires an energy blast at Bobby and hits his chest. Bobby is shoved back, but Gambit catches him and stops his fall. Gambit and Bobby turn to one another.

**BOBBY**: "Thanks."

**GAMBIT**: "Don't mention it."

Gambit and Bobby turn back, as Logan slashes his claws at Apocalypse from behind. Apocalypse flinches, as Logan digs his claws deep into his back. Apocalypse reaches behind and grabs Logan by his collar. Apocalypse pulls Logan off and throws him aside. Lorna turns to Logan, as he is sent flying at the Senate building wall, and she holds up her hand, stopping him. Lorna sets Logan down on his feet lands on his feet, as three feathered blades are fired down and hit Apocalypse in his shoulder blades. Apocalypse staggers forward and turns around, looking at Warren hovering in the sky, flapping his metal wings. Warren tries again, but Apocalypse raises his hands up. Apocalypse fires an energy blast at Warren, but Lorna flies at Warren from nearby and grabs him, moving him aside. The energy blast misses and hits only air. Apocalypse turns to fire again, but Logan again leaps at him and stabs his claws into his chest. Apocalypse falls to the ground, with Logan digging his claws deeper into Apocalypse. Apocalypse sneers and knees Logan on the gut. The kick shoves Logan back and off of Apocalypse. Apocalypse stands up and turns, just as Gambit tosses three energized poker cards at him. The cards hit Apocalypse's chest and explode, making him stagger back but is unhurt.

**APOCALYPSE**: "Fool! Are those blasts supposed to hurt me?"

Apocalypse fires an energy blast at Gambit, striking his gut. Gambit is knocked back and hits the ground. Gambit sits up and Apocalypse approaches. Rogue flies to Apocalypse from behind and jabs her fist onto his back, knocking him forward a few steps. Apocalypse turns around to Rogue and she punches him across the jaw, knocking him back a few steps.

**ROGUE**: "Leave them alone!!"

**APOCALYPSE**: "Fool! You do not give orders to your master!"

Apocalypse backhands Rogue and sends her flying back. Rogue stops herself and shakes off the effects of the hit. Rogue flies at Apocalypse, as he aims his hands at her. Apocalypse fires an energy blast at Rogue, when Beast leaps at Apocalypse and kicks his back with both feet. Beast lands crouched and moves aside, as the kick knocks Apocalypse forward. As Rogue gets to Apocalypse, she delivers an uppercut that knocks him back several steps. A rumble of thunder rolls in the sky, as it starts to darken. Apocalypse turns and looks at Storm hovering in the air nearby, with lightning sparking in her fingertips and in her eyes. Storm looks down at Apocalypse and fires a lightning blast from her hands, hitting his chest. Apocalypse steps back, unfazed. Apocalypse looks at Lorna, as she waves her hands. A parked car at the side of the Senate building suddenly levitates into the air and Lorna shoves her right hand to her left side. As Apocalypse stands and turns to face the car, it is sent flying right at him. The car knocks against Apocalypse and slams him back a few dozen feet. Apocalypse collides against a tree with the car toppled over on top of him. After a few seconds, the car is knocked over and off of Apocalypse, as he stands up in anger.

Storm turns to Apocalypse, as the X-Men charge at him. Apocalypse fires two energy blasts at the approaching X-Men, but they dodge it and Bobby fires two icy blasts from his hands. The ice covers over Apocalypse's hands a moment, ending the blasts. Apocalypse makes his hands into fists inside the blocks of ice and they shatter off his hands. Another roll of thunder fills the sky and a large bolt of lightning strikes down from above, hitting Apocalypse in the gut. The lightning knocks Apocalypse back several steps. The ground behind Apocalypse suddenly freezes and the icy mist spreads over the grass under his feet and before him. Bobby is crouched on the floor with his hands on the floor, sending the icy mist spreading on the grass around Apocalypse. Apocalypse slips and hits the ground, as Warren fires three more feathered blades at Apocalypse. The blades stab into Apocalypse's chest and he sits up.

**APOCALYPSE**: (snaps) "ENOUGH!"

Apocalypse gets to one knee and slams his fists down on the ground, shaking it as the icy coating over the grass shatters. The shaking of the ground knocks some X-Men down to the floor, such as Gambit and Bobby, while others like Rogue, Logan and Beast keep standing. Apocalypse turns and sees Beast leap at him, reaching for Apocalypse. Apocalypse grabs Beast first and turns, throwing him away. Beast collides onto Logan and both hit the floor, while Rogue flies to Apocalypse to punch him. Apocalypse turns to Rogue and punches her across the jaw. Rogue is knocked away and hits the floor, as Apocalypse turns to Storm. A gush of wind flows from the air and at Apocalypse, low at first. The wind starts to build, but Apocalypse keeps standing. Apocalypse fires an energy blast from his hand at Storm, but she flies aside. Apocalypse turns to Storm and quickly fires another energy blast, which hits her chest. The beam knocks Storm out of the air and she falls to the ground. Before Storm can land on her back on the floor, she stops and hovers just a few feet before the ground. Storm and Apocalypse turn around, as Jean, Scott and Alex approach.

**SCOTT**: "Back off, Apocalypse."

**APOCALYPSE**: "More little gnats. To think, Essex wanted you all spared. You are not worthy. Only the strong win in the end."

**SCOTT**: "Wrong, Apocalypse. _Heart_ is what wins battles."

Apocalypse smiles, as his hands shine with energy.

**APOCALYPSE**: "How amusing. You still cannot oppose me."

Apocalypse fires an energy blast at Scott and Alex, but they duck and dodge it. Scott turns the dials of his visor and fires an optic blast that hits Apocalypse's chest. He is shoved back a few steps, but easily regains his balance, unhurt. Alex sneers and his hands shine with bright red energy. Alex fires an energy blast at Apocalypse as well and the two energy blasts push Apocalypse back several steps. Apocalypse pushes back slowly against the blasts, but Scott and Alex stand their ground.

**ALEX**: "You as tired of this guy as I am?"

**SCOTT**: "Yeah. Let's finish it."

Scott turns the dials of his visor back to their limit and his eyebeam gets more intense. The double blasts shove Apocalypse back several steps. Apocalypse takes a few steps forward, pushing against the energy beams, but their power finally shoves Apocalypse backwards.

**APOCALYPSE**: (grunts) "NO!!"

The dual blasts shove Apocalypse backwards and towards the Senate building. Apocalypse regains his footing and pushes his hands against the energy blasts, firing his own energy blasts against them. Apocalypse's blasts finally pushes the two energy blasts back. The impact knocks away Alex and Scott in the process, making both men end their blasts as they hit the ground. Both men lie on the floor, dazed.

**JEAN**: (yells) "SCOTT!"

Jean looks away from Scott to Apocalypse, sneering in rage. Jean turns to Apocalypse, glaring, as he aims his hands at Jean. His beams shine bright to fire, but are unable to move. Jean's hair starts to blow in the wind, as Xavier looks at Jean in concern. Jean bobs her head forward and Apocalypse is sent flying back into the open back door of the Senate building. Apocalypse is pinned against the wall, unable to move. The wall behind Apocalypse begins to crack, as he is pushed against it. Scott sits up and looks at Jean.

**SCOTT**: "Jean? What're you doing?"

**JEAN**: "Ending this."

The cracking of the wall behind Apocalypse affects the ceiling and it slowly chips away, spreading throughout the roof and along the other walls inside the building. APOCALYPSE GRUNTS and he struggles to move, but can't budge. Part of the roof starts to crack in, as some of the windows crack, sending shattered glass falling to the grass. The roof finally breaks and falls inside, dropping on top of Apocalypse. APOCALYPSE LAUGHS at this, amused. The rest of the building breaks apart and collapses, as if blown up from the inside without the use of explosives. The entire empty building is destroyed, with most of it caving on top of Apocalypse. He is buried alive and out of sight. The X-Men stare in shock, as Jean stumbles forward. Scott stands up and hurries to Jean's side. Scott catches Jean in his arms, as she passes out. Alex stands and walks over to Scott.

**ALEX**: "Whoa."

**SCOTT**: "Tell me about it."

**ALEX**: "Is she...?"

**SCOTT**: "She's unconscious. She's just exhausted, Alex."

**ALEX**: "Looks like she stopped him."

Logan looks over at Xavier.

**LOGAN**: "Is he dead?"

**XAVIER**: (beat) "I don't know. I can't sense anything. There's something about his mind..."

**BOBBY**: "Hey. Where'd they go?"

The others turn around to the office building and notice that Sage, Autumn and Mystique have already left.

**XAVIER**: (sighs) "They've gone."

Faint sirens are heard from the distance. Scott turns around to Xavier.

**SCOTT**: "I think it's time to leave, Professor."

**XAVIER**: "Come on. Let's get out of here."

Scott nods and walks off with Jean. The other X-Men follow after him.


	24. Chapter 24 Aftermath

Later that night, in the clinic of the X-Mansion, Carol is lying on her back on a bed. She is hooked up to monitors and her mask removed. Rogue sits next to her and looks at Carol sadly. Moira walks to Rogue and stands beside her. 

**MOIRA**: "Rogue? I need to get you treated."

**ROGUE**: "Is she going to be all right?"

**MOIRA**: (sighs) "I don't know. She's been placed into a deep coma."

Rogue stares at Carol a moment and she sadly lowers her head. Moira looks at Rogue in concern, as she puts gloves on over her hands.

**MOIRA** :"I'll let you know if there's any change. We'll keep watch over her condition. Now, please go to your bed and I'll get you treated."

Rogue nods and walks off to her bed beside Carol's. Rogue removes her long-sleeved top, wearing a black bra underneath. Rogue pauses and looks at her arms in shock.

**ROGUE**: "Oh, no."

Moira looks at Rogue, as she hurries to a mirror on the side wall. Rogue looks at her reflection. Her physique is now as fit as an athlete, with the muscles of her arms and stomach visibly toned. To put it simply, Rogue is now ripped. Rogue sadly stares at her reflection a moment. Tears form in Rogue's eyes and she lowers her head. Moira looks at Rogue and then at the dried slashes in her back.

**MOIRA**: "It'll be okay. Come on. I'll help you."

Rogue pauses and looks at Moira.

* * *

In the X-Mansion's living room, Bobby and Gambit sit at a table, playing cards and both dressed in normal clothes. Gambit is wearing his trench coat over his clothes, as always. Gambit turns and notices Logan walk in, wearing a tank top and jeans.

**LOGAN**: "Well, this is a sight. You two sitting together by choice."

**BOBBY**: "We thought we'd pass the time together while we wait to hear about Rogue. How are Kitty and Dr. McCoy?"

**LOGAN**: "Beast is fine. He's already gotten his shoulder bandaged. Piotr's upstairs with Kitty now. He's bringing her up a small feast after Autumn drained her back there."

**GAMBIT**: "How is Rogue?"

**LOGAN**: "She's fine. It's just a few cuts. It should heal up and at worst just leave some scars."

**GAMBIT**: "That ain't what I meant."

Logan pauses and walks over to Gambit and Bobby.

**LOGAN**: "I ain't going to lie to you. It seems pretty bad."

**BOBBY**: "What happened?"

**LOGAN**: "When Jean restored Rogue to normal back there, she detected Carol's presence inside her... along with six other people. When Apocalypse decided to sic Rogue on the guards back at the Senate building, she left six of them dead after touching them and absorbed their memories."

Bobby and Gambit exchange concerned looks and then look at Logan.

**GAMBIT**: "For how long?"

**LOGAN**: "We don't know. The Professor and Jean are going to help her with their telepathy, try to keep things normal for Rogue again. She's got a lot to adjust to."

**BOBBY**: "What about Dr. Grey? Is she all right?"

**LOGAN**: "She's upstairs, resting."

**BOBBY**: "Don't you want to see her?"

Logan pauses and glances at Bobby.

**LOGAN**: "She's with Scott in their old room. After all that's happened, I don't think now is the time to interrupt their reunion." (beat) "I'll let you know as soon as I hear anything about Rogue."

Logan rises from his seat and walks out of the room, as Gambit looks back at his poker cards.

* * *

Upstairs in the X-Mansion, Scott sits on a bed in his bedroom, wearing a yellow shirt under an open blue jacket, blue pants and his sunglasses with red ruby-quartz lenses. He looks at Jean, as she lies asleep on their bed and with a blanket tucked over her. Scott stares at Jean in concern and wipes the hair from her face. Scott glances at Jean, then he pauses and turns to the open doorway. Xavier looks in from the hall and looks at Scott.

**XAVIER**: "May I come in?"

Scott nods and turns back to Jean. Xavier wheels into the room and stops beside Scott.

**XAVIER**: "She'll be all right, you know."

**SCOTT**: (beat) "I know."

**XAVIER**: "It's hard to believe that Essex was able to resurrect her. Such a thing seems so unreal, impossible."

**SCOTT**: "Lately I've come to find that nothing surprises me anymore."

**XAVIER**: "I can understand why. Your brother is alive. Jean is alive, for a second time. You have a fresh start with all of them. I am very happy for you."

Scott stares at Jean a moment and he nods.

**SCOTT**: "Thank you, sir."

**XAVIER**: "I'm relieved to see Jean is back to normal again. It's nice to see you both are alive and well."

**SCOTT**: "Is she normal again?"

**XAVIER**: "I know you must have your doubts, Scott. You were almost broken down cell by cell and disintegrated by the very woman you love."

Scott lowers his head, tensing. Xavier eyes Scott in concern.

**XAVIER**: "Now that my powers are back, I had scanned Jean's mind on our way back to the mansion. There is no trace of her Phoenix persona. It must have died when she did." (beat) "It is nice to see her again. I'm happy she's alive."

**SCOTT**: "It sounds a bit odd to hear that coming from you, considering that she_ did_ disintegrate you, cell by cell."

Xavier pauses and looks at Scott. Scott turns to Xavier.

**SCOTT**: "And now you're back, in a body identical to your own. But _not_ your own. He was brain dead, yes, but this was someone else and yet you've made it your body. This was the person you yourself asked what would be the ethical right choice to do about patients like him and now you_ are_ him."

**XAVIER**: "I know you're upset and hurt. You have every right to be."

**SCOTT**: "What did you expect, Professor? A warm hug? A welcome back with open arms? The things you've done..."

Scott looks away and at Jean.

**SCOTT**: "You didn't tell me. All these years, after what you did to her... what you caused. I told you I heard Jean's voice in my head after she died, after what happened at the military base in Alkali Lake. You did nothing. I went to Alkali Lake for myself and..." (beat) "I almost died. People _did_ die. She disintegrated all those people. Jean has to live with that for the rest of her life. You didn't see the look on her face when she saw me for the first time in Essex's place... or what her expression changed to when she remembered the destruction and deaths she was responsible for."

Xavier pauses and looks at Scott.

**XAVIER**: "I did what I thought was best for Jean, Scott. I made a mistake. If I had known..."

**SCOTT**: (interrupts) "Don't, Professor. Please." (beat) "Just don't."

Xavier pauses a moment and then he nods at Scott.

**XAVIER**: "Alex is down the hall in his room with Lorna, if you'd like to check on him later."

**SCOTT**: "We're having breakfast in the morning. I told him I was staying watch over Jean tonight, taking care of her." (beat) "I'm sure you already knew I was thinking that by now."

Xavier shakes his head.

**XAVIER**: "No, Scott. I have a second chance with my powers. I've decided to use it when absolutely necessary...and to use better judgment on deciding when that time is right."

Scott stares at Jean a moment and lowers his head. Xavier turns and wheels out of the room. Scott pauses and turns around, as Xavier shuts the door behind him.

* * *

Down the hall in the X-Mansion, in Kitty's bedroom, Kitty sits up on her bed. She is wearing a T-shirt and jeans and her blanket tucked over her. Two bowls with crumbs of food are by her bed, as well as a plate of bread crumbs. Piotr walks into the room, wearing a tank top and jeans. Piotr holds a bowl of Ramen noodles in his hands.

**PIOTR**: "I have gotten you another bowl of noodles, Katya. Would you like anything else?"

**KITTY**: "No, thanks. You've already done enough for me, Pete."

Piotr smiles and hands the bowl to Kitty.

**PIOTR**: "I do not mind helping you get better, Katya. I am just sorry you were so worn out by Autumn's touch."

Kitty wraps some noodles around with her fork and she stops, turning to Piotr.

**KITTY**: "I can't believe she turned out to be a traitor. All this time, she was just here to locate Rogue and Warren."

**PIOTR**: "Yes, well, there was no way we could have known this would happen."

**KITTY**: "True. But I can't believe it was so easy for them to get in. This place really needs better security."

Kitty eats a forkful of noodles and Piotr nods at her.

**PIOTR**: "Yes, it does. But we did trust her. There is no way we could have known she was a spy for Essex."

**KITTY**: "True. Speaking of which, I never did get a chance to thank you for helping me. It was rather chivalrous of you to get Autumn off of me like that."

**PIOTR**: "It was no big deal."

Kitty stops eating a moment and lowers her forkful of noodles back into her bowl.

**KITTY**: "It is to me. I might've ended up in worse shape if you hadn't gotten to me. I appreciate you taking me to the jet and staying with me."

Piotr nods and holds Kitty's hand.

**PIOTR**: "Well, I will always be there for you when you need me, Katya."

Kitty looks at Piotr's hand and then at him. Piotr realizes what he's done and shyly pulls his hand back.

**PIOTR**: "Sorry. I was just... I mean, I was concerned about..."

Kitty smiles and holds Piotr's hand. Piotr looks at Kitty's hand and then he looks at her.

**KITTY**: "Thank you."

Piotr looks at Kitty with a soft smile.

**KITTY**: "Well, I guess I can consider myself fortunate. Most girls want a knight in shining armor. I get a knight made _of_ shining armor."

Piotr grins and his skin reverts to the metal form of Colossus. Kitty's lips curl up in an amused smile and she CHUCKLES.

* * *

Elsewhere, in Beast's bedroom, Beast holds his cell phone to his ear, dressed in a business suit with a black tie.

**BEAST**: "I understand, Mr. President. I am relieved you and everyone else got away safely. But after what's happened, we need to get back to the subject at hand." (long pause) "Mr. President, two of those mutants were my friends. They were abducted, tortured and brainwashed into attacking the hearing." (beat) "No. No, I don't have any proof of how they were brainwashed. Not yet. But I was told where they were taken to. I can get the proof I need there."

The door opens from behind and Warren looks into the room, dressed in a sweater and jeans. His metal wings are folded back. Beast pauses, listening to the phone.

**BEAST**: "I know this looks bad, but when we resume the hearing about the issue, I'm sure we can..." (beat) "What?"

Beast pauses for several seconds, listening. Beast looks stunned by the news and he turns his head aside.

**BEAST**: "Mr. President, I don't think that is such a good idea. If that's what..."

Beast stops, listening for several seconds. Warren looks at Beast in concern, as he pauses and listens for several more seconds. Beast lowers his head. Beast heaves a SIGH and looks defeated.

**BEAST**: "I understand." (beat) "Yes, I will, Mr. President." (beat) "All right. Good bye."

Beast hangs up the cell phone and shakes his head.

**WARREN**: "How are you?"

Beast turns and notices Warren in the doorway.

**BEAST**: "Hello, Warren. I'm fine. Please, come in."

Warren nods and walks into the room.

**WARREN**: "How's your shoulder?"

**BEAST**: "It's a little sore, but I'll be all right."

Warren stops before Beast and looks at him nervously.

**WARREN**: "I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you."

**BEAST**: "There's no reason for you to apologize, Warren. You weren't yourself. You were brainwashed."

Warren lowers his head and pauses.

**WARREN**: "I killed them, Hank. I killed some of those secret service men back there. I could've killed you and all those people back there."

**BEAST**: "But you're back to normal now. Since Xavier knows where you and the others were being kept, we're going to get the devices we need from there to prove your innocence."

**WARREN**: "My innocence went away with my wings, Hank. After what Apocalypse did to me, to Rogue..."

Warren's metal wings unfurl and Warren looks at Beast sadly.

**WARREN**: "I used these to kill innocent people back there, and I tried to kill all of you. I... I don't know if I should stay here. If I do, I might only make things worse, if I haven't already."

**BEAST**: "What do you mean?"

**WARREN**: "You sounded pretty upset on the phone when I stepped in to check on you. What's happened?"

Beast pauses a moment and then he stands up.

**BEAST**: "The Senate hearing will take place tomorrow at an undisclosed location in Washington. In light of what's happened tonight, I have been told not to attend the hearing. They feel it would go easier if my presence wasn't there to interfere with the other Senators' decision on the proposal."

Warren turns away, upset.

**WARREN**: "I knew it. If I hadn't been there with the others..." (beat) "I'm sorry, Hank."

**BEAST**: "It was nothing you did, Warren. You're not to blame for what's happened. However, we still are unable to find out what did happen to those responsible while Jean took care of Apocalypse."

**WARREN**: "Where do you think Sinister and his men could be now?"

**BEAST**: "I don't know. I'm certain the Professor will be using Cerebro to pick up any sign of them, now that he has his powers back. But since Xavier had difficulty reading Apocalypse's mind back there, whether or not they can even be detected is another matter."

* * *

At dawn, an old, abandoned warehouse stands in the middle of an old business plaza.

**APOCALYPSE**: "What of Omega Red?"

* * *

Essex stands in the large empty office of the warehouse, with Apocalypse and Famine standing before him. His wounds have mostly healed since his previous encounter with Cyclops.

**ESSEX**: "I saw on the news that the authorities moved the rubble away and got Omega Red out. He was found frozen in a block of ice and taken back into custody."

**APOCALYPSE**: "Going where? Back to Russia?"

**ESSEX**: "I don't know, sir. I doubt it."

**APOCALYPSE**: "And what of Sage and Mystique?"

**ESSEX**: "Sage is on another assignment for me at the moment. However, I haven't heard from Mystique yet. Considering her debt to us has been paid, it's questionable if she'll even return."

**APOCALYPSE**: "Whether she does or not, it doesn't matter. We can always recruit other pawns for our cause."

**ESSEX**: "What about the X-Men? Shall we go back and reclaim our Horsemen?"

**APOCALYPSE**: "They are no longer worthy of being at my side. I have other plans in mind for the X-Men, when the time comes. For now, I have other matters to attend to."

* * *

That morning, back in the X-Mansion, Logan lies asleep on his bed, with his blanket tucked over him. Logan rolls over onto his side, tensing.

* * *

Logan's dream goes back to the security compound, years ago. Logan limps down the far hall towards young Carol, with his leather top shredded and stained with blood. Logan's body, however, doesn't have a scratch on it, whatever injuries he had have long since healed on their own.

**YOUNG CAROL**: "Logan!! Are you all right? What happened?"

**LOGAN**: "Had to finish some business with Omega Red."

**YOUNG CAROL**: "Where is he?"

**LOGAN**: "I put 'im on ice. Knocked him back into the suspended animation tank and froze him solid. What about our buddy?"

**YOUNG CAROL**: "I don't know. I lost him during a fight with the guards."

Logan stops and sniffs the air. Logan pauses and turns to his left.

**LOGAN**: "Oh, crap."

**YOUNG CAROL**: "What?"

**LOGAN**: "That way. I can smell his blood."

Logan hurries down the hall with young Carol following after him. They stop, as the Agent limps down the hall, with blood flowing from cuts in his leg. The agent goes towards a tall, muscular soldier dressed like Logan and Carol.

**LOGAN**: "It's okay. Vic's got him."

**AGENT**: "Hey! Can you get me out of here? The soldiers are waiting for us!"

The agent turns around, though still seen from behind. The soldier, VIC, shows his face to the Agent, but all we see is his scruffy blond hair.

**VIC**: "My mission is to take care of you. That's exactly what I'm gonna do."

Vic quickly grabs the Agent by the throat and lifts him up off the ground, showing his claw-like nails.

**AGENT**: (gasps) "What... what're..." (gags) "Wh--"

**LOGAN**: "What're you doing?"

Vic's grip tightens, crushing down tighter on the Agent's throat. Logan and Carol hurry over to the Agent, just as Vic snaps his neck.

**LOGAN**: "NO!"

Vic drops the Agent to the floor, dead before he hits the ground. Logan looks up at Vic, as he glances at Logan. The face of "Vic" is actually that of VICTOR CREED, a.k.a. SABRETOOTH. Sabretooth looks at Logan and Carol with an evil grin.

**SABRETOOTH**: "Mission accomplished."

* * *

Logan quickly awakens and sits up on his bed, startled. Logan rubs the back of his neck and lifts his head up.

**LOGAN**: (sighs) "No way."


	25. Chapter 25 Finale

That morning, in the X-Mansion, Rogue lies asleep on her side on her bed, wearing a nightgown with long sleeves. Bandages are wrapped around Rogue's back, as she winces in her sleep. Rogue turns over onto her other side, as she starts to slowly hover up above her bed. The doors slide open and Logan walks into her bedroom. Logan stops walking, as he notices Rogue ahead. 

**LOGAN**: "Rogue?"

Rogue is hovering above her bed and lying on her front against the ceiling. Logan walks over to Rogue's bed and stops, as he looks up at her.

**LOGAN**: "Rogue? Rogue, wake up."

Rogue turns her head and her face is pressed against the ceiling. Rogue awakens, slowly opening her eyes. Rogue looks at the ceiling pressed against her face and lets out a startled GASP. Rogue looks down and she looks at Logan, stunned.

**ROGUE**: (gasps) "Whoa!"

Rogue suddenly falls and collides onto her bed, breaking it down to the ground with her upon impact. Logan crouches to Rogue and holds his hand down to her own gloved hand.

**LOGAN**: "Here, kid. Lemme help you up."

**ROGUE**: "No, I'm all right."

Rogue stands up and looks at herself sadly. Logan stands up and looks at Rogue.

**ROGUE**: "Oh, my..." (beat) "It didn't hurt a bit."

Being unhurt makes Rogue even more uneasy. She looks at Logan nervously and he steps closer to her.

**LOGAN**: "We'll help you through this, kid. I promise." (beat) "Come on. Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes. And there're two other guys upstairs waiting to make sure you're okay."

Logan offers his hand out to Rogue. She looks at Logan and steps back. Logan holds his hand out to her closer.

**LOGAN**: (softly) "Come on, darlin'. I'll take care of you." (beat) "I promise."

Rogue looks at Logan and then at his hand. Rogue nervously takes Logan's hand and walks with him to the doorway.

* * *

In a dining room in the board room, the President sits at a table for two, with Trask seated before him. Three bodyguards stand watch nearby, as the two men eat their food off their plates - hash brown, eggs, strips of bacon, etc. 

**PRESIDENT**: "Have you heard from the other Senators?"

**TRASK**: "They'll be leaving for the hearing this afternoon. We meet at the secured building downtown to vote on the proposition."

**PRESIDENT**: "I still don't think we should have excluded Hank from the meeting, Trask."

**TRASK**: "That's not up to either of us, sir. We took a vote. He was voted out."

**PRESIDENT**: "Something isn't right about this. What if we choose wrong today?"

**TRASK**: "All we can do is make the choice we think is right, Mr. President. Whatever happens next happens."

The President pauses and then nods.

* * *

In the cafeteria of the X-Mansion, Logan sits at a table for four, with Storm seated beside him. Seated on the other side of their table are Xavier and Moira. Logan looks at Xavier, as he eats his bowl of oatmeal. 

**LOGAN**: "Heard you were on Cerebro most of the night. What'd you find out?"

**XAVIER**: "Nothing much, I'm afraid. I wasn't able to detect any trace of Apocalypse, Essex or his henchmen. I'm not sure how they're shielding themselves from being detected."

**STORM**: "How is Rogue feeling, Logan?"

Logan turns and looks at a table for six. Rogue sits at a table, with Gambit seated to her left and Bobby seated to her right. Piotr, Kitty and Jubilee sit on the other chairs at their table.

**LOGAN**: "She's hanging in there. She's got us to help her through this."

**XAVIER**: "I'm going to work with Rogue over the next few weeks, to help her suppress the thoughts and memories in her head after yesterday."

**LOGAN**: "So, any idea how long until Rogue has Carol's powers fade from her?"

Xavier pauses and glances at Logan.

**MOIRA**: "Logan... when I treated Rogue, I did a scan on her to see if there was anything I could do for her. The results show that the transfers after touching Carol and the others is permanent."

**STORM**: "You mean she's going to keep these powers and memories?"

**MOIRA**: "I'm afraid so."

Logan looks away, upset.

**LOGAN**: "Damn it. The kid feels bad enough as it is. Does she know?"

**MOIRA**: "She knows."

**STORM**: "But like you said, Logan, she has us to help her through this. I'm also going to be helping with Rogue, helping her train and catch up on her work."

**LOGAN**: "Sounds like you're softening up to helping her again."

**STORM**: "I'll always help her, Logan. That's what we're here for."

Logan shakes his head and turns to another table for six. Lorna sits with Alex and Warren on one side of the table, while Beast, Scott and Jean sit at the other side.

**LOGAN**: "What about Jean? How is she?"

**XAVIER**: "She'll be all right. There's no sign of the Phoenix persona or of her Phoenix powers in her anywhere. It seems that Essex had altered Jean's D.N.A. when he had her resurrected."

**LOGAN**: "But does it mean there's a chance they'll come back eventually?"

**XAVIER**: "I doubt it. It's strange. It's almost like they were never there."

**LOGAN**: "And what about Cyclops?"

**XAVIER**: "It's going to take time for me to get Scott to trust me again, as well as Jean."

**LOGAN**: "Can't imagine why."

**XAVIER**: "I'm going to make it up to them, Logan. No matter how long it takes. I want to show them they can trust me again."

**LOGAN**: "What about Warren? Heard he's still in his room."

**XAVIER**: "Warren needs time to adjust to what he's been through, Logan. We'll do what we can to help him, too."

* * *

Later that afternoon, Rogue walks down the main hall, wearing a turtleneck sweater, jeans and gloves. Rogue walks down past a few students. The students move away from her and Rogue stops, turning to them. The students move along down the hall quickly and Rogue continues forward. Rogue approaches her locker and two students nearby quickly move aside. Rogue turns and watches the two teenage boys nervously back away. The teenagers run off down the hall and Rogue turns to her locker, her lower lip trembling. 

**BOBBY**: "Rogue?"

Rogue turns around and Bobby walks over to her, dressed in an open jacket over his T-shirt and denim jeans. Bobby stands before Rogue.

**BOBBY**: "Can I talk to you?"

**ROGUE**: "Sure."

Bobby turns and walks over with Rogue down the hall.

* * *

Bobby walks into the living room and shuts the door behind him. He walks over to Rogue, as she stands waiting by the couch. 

**BOBBY**: "I tried to see you last night."

**ROGUE**: "Sorry. I went to bed early. I was exhausted."

**BOBBY**: "I know. I'm sorry."

**ROGUE**: "I'll be all right. Dr. MacTaggert said the welts should heal up in a few..."

**BOBBY**: (interrupts) "That's not what I meant."

Bobby walks to Rogue and stands before her.

**BOBBY**: "I mean, I'm sorry. About everything. About not being there for you when you needed me, when it mattered. It's just... I thought I was the one who forced you into this. Like I pressured you into taking the cure."

**ROGUE**: "It was my choice."

**BOBBY**: "I know that now. Even when you told me before, I just thought... I messed up. I'm sorry for that."

Bobby pauses and looks at Rogue in concern.

**ROGUE**: "You mean it, don't you? You want to make it up to me." (beat) "We can start fresh, Bobby. We can make this work."

**BOBBY**: "What about Remy?"

**ROGUE**: "What about him?"

**BOBBY**: "I saw how Remy looked at you last night. The way he looked at you when he found you, when you got hurt... he cares."

**ROGUE**: "But I care about _you._"

**BOBBY**: "Rogue, the way he looked at you... it's how I should have looked at you. How I used to look at you."

**ROGUE**: "We can get that back, Bobby."

Rogue reaches her gloved hand back to Bobby and he steps back. Rogue looks at Bobby, hurt.

**ROGUE**: "You're breaking up with me?"

**BOBBY**: "Isn't it what you want?"

**ROGUE**: "I choose _you_, Bobby. I have to make a choice. We can make this work out."

Rogue steps forward to Bobby and again he steps back. Bobby looks at Rogue, as she takes a step back. Bobby shakes his head.

**BOBBY**: "I'm sorry. I can't. I can't do this. I can handle how he looks at you. It really doesn't bother me. But I can't take how _you_ look at him. How you feel about him..." (beat) "You already chose between us, Rogue."

Rogue looks at Bobby sadly, as he turns to walk away. Bobby opens the door and Rogue steps forward.

**ROGUE**: "Bobby, please!"

Bobby pauses a moment, his head lowered. After a few seconds, Bobby walks out and shuts the door. Rogue looks at the doorway a moment and then she turns her head aside, as tears go down her face and she starts SOBBING.

* * *

In the board room in Washington, several Senators sit at a round table, with the President and Trask seated with them. One seat is left vacant. 

**SENATOR DONNER**: "I see everyone is here. Shall we get started?"

**SENATOR HAYTER**: "I still think Dr. McCoy should have attended this meeting. It's not right to proceed without him."

**TRASK**: "We already took a vote, Senator Hayter. He was voted out. Let's focus on the matter at hand."

**PRESIDENT**: "Well, in light of what happened yesterday, I think we all saw what would happen if we make the wrong vote. Let's make sure we make the right choice."

* * *

At 5 p.m., in the X-Mansion's living room, Rogue sits by the window with her arms wrapped around her knees. Rogue sadly stares outside, watching several teenagers in the back yard playing on the basketball court. The door opens and Gambit looks into the room. 

**GAMBIT**: "Rogue? Don't y' wanna join us in th' cafeteria? I saved you a few slices o' pizza."

Rogue doesn't look at him. Gambit walks to Rogue, as she wipes the tears from her eyes. Gambit sits next to her and Rogue turns to face him. Gambit sets his gloved hand down on Rogue's shoulder, as she sadly lowers her head.

**GAMBIT**: (sighs) "Oh, cherie."

Gambit drapes his arm around Rogue and gently pulls her closer. Rogue leans back, nervous, but Gambit keeps hold and rests Rogue's head down on his shoulder. Rogue puts her arms around Gambit, as he rubs the back of her head. Rogue continues SOBBING as Gambit rocks her gently, keeping his hands away from her back. Logan stands in the doorway and watches Rogue and Gambit, his arms folded over his chest.

* * *

In Xavier's office, Logan stands before Xavier's desk. Xavier sits back in his wheelchair as he notices Logan's upset look. 

**LOGAN**: "He did it. He actually broke up with her. And now, of all times..."

**XAVIER**: "I know you're concerned for Rogue, Logan. I sensed Bobby's mind when he passed by the hall. He's genuinely upset over rejecting Rogue, but he did what he thought was right for her."

**LOGAN**: "That doesn't mean it was right. The kid's got a lot to deal with as it is."

**XAVIER**: "I know. We'll get her through this. I'm going to see Rogue later tonight to help her suppress the other memories in her mind, to help her deal with this. She was sent to the clinic twice already because of the other voices in her head. When I went down and helped her quiet them, the voices were so loud in her mind, Rogue couldn't even hear herself think."

**LOGAN**: (sighs) "Damn it."

**XAVIER**: "We will make this right, Logan. I promise you, I will help her cope with these new changes. I won't make the same mistakes twice."

**LOGAN**: "Good to know you're not keeping any other secrets from us."

Xavier pauses a moment and nods.

**XAVIER**: "I suggest we get to the cafeteria. Otherwise, dinner's going to get cold."

**LOGAN**: "Right. Come on, Charlie."

**XAVIER**: "Logan, don't do that."

Logan looks at Xavier, puzzled.

**LOGAN**: "What?"

**XAVIER**: "Don't call me 'Charlie', Logan. Call me 'Professor', 'Professor X', 'Professor Xavier', or even, if you must, 'Charles'. But not 'Charlie'. Is that understood?"

**LOGAN**: "Sure..." (grins) "Chuck."

Logan turns and walks off. As Logan walks out of the room, Xavier raises an eyebrow.

**XAVIER**: "'Chuck?'"

* * *

In the X-Mansion's cafeteria, Rogue walks away from a soda vending machine, holding a Coca-Cola Classic can in her gloved hand. Rogue walks by, as the blue-haired boy bumps into her. Rogue turns around to look at him. 

**ROGUE**: "Excuse me."

The blue-haired boy eyes Rogue nervously and quickly hurries off down the room to his table. Rogue looks away, upset, and walks off to a table for two, with Gambit waiting for her. Gambit smiles at Rogue, as she sits before him. A tray with two extra large, pepperoni pizza slices and a bowl of salad are set down on a tray before Rogue's chair. Gambit bites into his own forkful of salad and glances at Rogue in concern.

**GAMBIT**: "You okay?"

**ROGUE**: "I will be."

Rogue sips her drink and then she sets it down on the table. She looks at a nearby table and notices Piotr seated with Kitty. Kitty smiles at him and holds Piotr's hand. Rogue smiles and looks back at Gambit, as he eats another forkful of salad

**ROGUE**: "Looks like Kitty's got a new lunch date."

**GAMBIT**: "Colossus is a nice guy. A guy the size of a grizzly bear, but nice nonetheless."

Rogue grins and takes a bite out of her slice of pizza. Rogue looks over at one table, noticing Scott and Jean seated at a table with Alex and Lorna. Rogue looks at the other side of the room, noticing students seated together and Logan at a table with Storm.

**ROGUE**: "You seen Warren around anywhere?"

**GAMBIT**: "I think he's still upstairs."

* * *

Warren sits on his bed in his room, looking at his window leading outside. There is a knock on the door. 

**WARREN**: "Come in."

The door opens and Beast walks into the room.

**BEAST**: "Do you want to come down for dinner, Warren? You've hardly eaten all day."

**WARREN**: "I'm not hungry." (beat) "I'm sorry I didn't teach class today. I just..."

**BEAST**: "Don't. It's all right, really. Scott took over for you and Jean is handling classes for Carol now. Needless to say, the students had quite a surprise when they saw two thought dead teachers back again."

Warren doesn't respond. He still glances outside.

**BEAST**: "I must confess, I didn't come here to see you alone. You have a visitor."

Warren turns around and looks at the doorway. WARREN WORTHINGTON SR. - late-50s with gray hair - steps into the room and looks at Warren in concern. Warren Sr. is dressed in a business suit. Warren stands up and looks at his father, stunned.

**WARREN**: "Dad?"

**WARREN SR.**: "Hello, son."

Warren Sr. steps forward, but Warren steps back, nervous. Warren Sr. stops for a moment and then he walks to his son.

**WARREN SR.**: "I was so worried about you. After what happened..." (beat) "I'm so happy to see you."

**WARREN**: "You are?" (beat) "Why? After all the things that I did..."

**WARREN SR.**:(interrupts) "I know. Hank told me. I can't imagine how you must be feeling after all this. But I want you to know that I'm here for you if you need me, son."

Warren Sr. steps forward again, but Warren sadly takes a step back. Warren Sr. stands before Warren and sets his hand on his shoulder.

**WARREN SR.**: "I'm here, son. I'll always be here for you."

Warren pauses a moment and lowers his head. Warren Sr. puts his arms around Warren and Warren hugs him back, setting his head down on his father's shoulder. Warren closes his eyes and starts to CRY.

**WARREN SR.**: "Always."

Warren Sr. holds onto his son gently, as Warren continues SOBBING. Beast watches them for a minute, as father and son hug. Beast lets out a soft smile and he turns. He walks out of the room and shuts the door.

* * *

Later that night, in the X-Mansion's living room, Logan stands behind the couch, with Scott and Jean seated on it. Alex and Lorna are seated on chairs nearby, with Xavier, Moira, Storm, and several students are gathered around, watching the TV screen. Rogue sits on the floor nearby, with Gambit seated beside her. Warren and Beast walk into the room and join the others. 

**BEAST**: "Did we miss it?"

**XAVIER**: "Not yet. They're about to announce the results."

The TV screen shows a news REPORTER on the screen, seated behind his desk in a news room.

**REPORTER**: "We take you now live to Washington, with an official statement made by the President himself about the decision the Senate has made about the new mutant proposition."

The TV screen now shows the President standing at a podium on a stage. Trask stands beside him with his arms folded over his chest.

**PRESIDENT**: "As many of you know, last week's attack at the Senate building had a lasting impact on those who had attended and those who watched it live from TV. The effects of the attack also left an impact on our decision over mutant registration."

The President pauses a moment and then he looks ahead.

**PRESIDENT**: "After much thought and consideration on the subject, with a win by only a single vote, I'm announcing the approval of Project Wide-awake and three other projects attached with the registration plan."

The X-Men, Moira and students stare at the screen, stunned.

**XAVIER**: (whispers) "My God."

**PRESIDENT**: "After the events of the largest and most well-known mutant attacks, such as the Liberty Island, Alcatraz and recent Senate hearing incidents, we will do what we can to protect our citizens, human and mutant alike. We will not go hunting for mutants, only to bring in mutant terrorists and attackers as we do for normal criminals."

Beast lowers his head, heaving a SIGH, as Logan looks away with a sneer.

**LOGAN**: "Why that rotten..."

**BEAST**: "I can't believe it's come to this."

Rogue looks away, upset, and Gambit sets his hand down on her shoulder. Scott turns to Jean, as she lowers her head nervously. Scott holds her hand. Jean looks at Xavier, looking nervous.

**JEAN**: "Things are about to get worse now, aren't they, Professor?"

**XAVIER**: (sighs) "I'm afraid so."

* * *

Later that night, in a small town in Canada, a lone old cabin stands atop a snowy mountain outside an old part of town. A person dressed in a bulky hooded jacket, pants and snow boots walks down to the cabin and stands before it. The person knocks on the door and pauses, waiting. The door opens and SABRETOOTH answers the door, dressed in a gray shirt and pants under his long brown, tattered trench coat. Sabretooth stares a moment at the person with his cat-like eyes and he sniffs. Sabretooth lets out a low GROWL, which sounds more like an animal than a man. Sabretooth steps back and the person walks inside. 

**SABRETOOTH**: "How did you find me? What're you doing here?"

The person grabs the hood with her gloved hands and pulls it back, showing the blue-skinned face of MYSTIQUE.

**MYSTIQUE**: "We need to talk, Victor. I have a proposition for you that you might find intriguing."

Sabretooth pauses for a moment, considering whether to let her stay inside. Sabretooth grins and shuts the door.


End file.
